FIDLAR at the Regent Marquee (Vanessa Batyko/Neon Tommy)

I definitely was not the only person to get punched in the face seeing FIDLAR on Friday night at the Regent. I guess you could say that I got into a fight with a room of 1,300 people going absolutely ballistic during every single one of the band’s songs. 

FIDLAR, which stands for “Fuck It Dog, Life’s A Risk”, facilitated an all-encompassing, inescapable mosh pit with their rowdy skate-punk music. 

I took some great shots of myself crowd-surfing on a disposable camera, but unfortunately, you can’t really bring any personal items to a FIDLAR show. My camera was lost in a sea of psychotic, head-banging humans, never to be found again. However, I did come across a size 10 blue vans sneaker, so if you’re reading this, come find me.

Anyway, I’m going to explain to you why this was one of the greatest nights I’ve had in a long time. And why the black eye and multiple bruises were definitely worth it.

FIDLAR makes you forget about all of your daunting responsibilities. 

It doesn’t matter how many problems you’ve got going on in your life: FIDLAR understands. The band creates a space where you can completely let go of all of your worries. The concert was a stress-free environment where it was nearly impossible to think about anything other than the present moment. 

Everyone in the crowd became my new best friend. 

A collective energy flowed amongst everyone at the show. I was virtually attacked by hugs and positive vibes the entire night, and I just couldn’t get enough of it. When I was shoved to the ground in the mosh pit, five different pairs of hands reached down to help me up. I’ve never felt so close to hundreds of random people with an unspoken understanding that we were all mind-blown by the same music.     

FIDLAR Stage (Vanessa Batyko/Neon Tommy)

The members of FIDLAR clearly spend a lot of time together. These guys looked like they were just having fun, jamming out in their basement. There was an intimate exchange between the band and the audience, making the crowd feel like we all knew the band members on a personal level.   

You can truly relate to FIDLAR’s songs. 

The band’s songs are mostly about beer, drugs, being awkward, hanging out with your homies, and falling for someone who doesn’t care about you in the slightest. It makes sense that the young adult crowd in Los Angeles was so rowdy: we all experienced these things growing up, and it feels good to know that a rad band understands us. 

I often find myself listening to FIDLAR when I’m dancing in my living room with my friends or biking home from class at night, but this band was born to perform. This was an unparalleled show, and I’m grateful that I get to carry it around with me on my swollen eye for the next two weeks.

Contact Staff Reporter Vanessa Batyko here.