Clad in decade-old band t-shirts and crammed into every corner of the intimate venue, Relient K fans filled Slims (San Francisco) for the long-awaited 10th anniversary tour of the band’s fourth album, “Mmhmm”. Two bands, From Indian Lakes and Blondfire, opened the sold-out show.
The initial excitement to be out of the brisk San Francisco air and inside the venue was evident throughout the first opener, From Indian Lakes, whose dynamic stage presence energized the crowd and cultivated an atmosphere of anticipation for the headline — as an opener should. However, by the time the second opening act, Blondfire, came on stage with their additional 40-minute set, the crowd simply wanted to see the band they paid for at that point, and was visibly restless.
Despite this energy-dampener, once Relient K finally emerged, the mood took a complete shift and the crowd was revitalized with the anticipation of hearing “Mmhmm” played front-to-back. Being the 10th anniversary tour, the audience knew every single lyric and was equally involved in the show as the actual band was.
Along with the entirety of “Mmhmm” were songs from all eras of the band’s sixteen-year career, ranging from childhood-anthems such as “Sadie Hawkins Dance” and the semi-recent “Forget and Not Slow Down”. Every familiar opening and guitar riff evoked a sentimental wave that reverberated throughout the crowd’ ten years worth of memories were carried within each song performed, resulting in an oddly schmaltzy mosh pit.
An endearingly personal vibe was apparent throughout the entire show, which was followed by an eight-song encore. Despite the setback of having two openers, the intimate exchange of energy between Relient K and the crowd made for a meaningful, quality performance, which was definitely one to remember.
