If my calculations are correct, the last time indie rock quintet flipturn played Philadelphia proper, they were in a venue less than 1/10th the size of that of their upcoming area appearance (And the last time they were openers and this time they’re headlining…) The Florida band, who we last saw opening Johnny Brenda’s for Wilderado, is gearing up for their first-ever headlining show in the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection with an April 11th stop at Franklin Music Hall. The show comes about halfway through The Burnout Days Tour, which kicked off late last month, behind the release of flipturn’s titular sophomore LP, Burnout Days, which dropped this January on Dualtone Records. I recently got a chance to chat with all five members of flipturn, who tell me about the band’s past three years (which has included tours support the likes of Two Door Cinema Club, PHILTHY phriends The Revivalists, and onetime local residents Mt. Joy, in addition to performances at Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, and Governor’s Ball), their second full-length, and what it’s like headlining massive stages.
Izzy Cihak: I realize this is a huge question, but the last time I saw you was in March of 2022 when you were opening for Wilderado at Johnny Brenda’s, a 250-capacity room, and you’re gearing up to headline Franklin Music Hall, a room that holds 2,700, which is pretty crazy. What have been some of the personal highlights of flipturn in those three years?
Mitch Fountain: It has been a crazy time between 2022 and now. Honestly, we really keep our heads down and keep moving forward, so it is hard to understand the distances we have gone since those tours. We’re super grateful to still be doing this and growing at the same time, and super grateful to our fans for coming out every year to a show or multiple shows. Highlights of things between those years have been playing some festivals we never assumed were possible, as well as doing a European tour. There are also a couple shows within a tour that always stand out as “wow” moments. For example, on the Something More Tour, the Sylvee in Madison, Wisconsin was a very big moment for all of us. The year before we would see venues like that and think it would be years before we even touch a venue a size like that in Wisconsin.
Izzy: Have you noticed patterns amongst your biggest fans?
Madeline Jarman: From what we’ve noticed, everyone we’ve met seems to have just a huge love for music! In the conversations we’ve had our fans seem to view music in similar ways as we do, whether it’s in the composition or lyrics and how those things can bring about real emotions while listening. Our fans are freaking dope people and have a lot of love to give! We’re very, very thankful for them.
Izzy: You recently released your second full-length, Burnout Days, the follow-up to Shadowglow, which you were touring back then. How do you feel like the second LP compares to your debut, in terms of sound, inspiration, and the process of writing and recording it? Were you exploring anything for the first time on this one?
Mitch: This second LP is an even better collaboration between the five members of flipturn, I believe. Throughout the years of working together we have learned how to write with each other, and it has made it an even more comfortable experience. For Shadowglow, the band had recently added on Devon and I, so we were still pretty new to understanding how flipturn, as a band, writes. This album was created with more attention to detail with production, and creating an immersive experience. Shadowglow was predominantly a live album, where most of the tracks recorded were done at the same time. For Burnout Days, we approached it differently with the recording process.
Izzy: Have you had any favorite reactions to the new music?
Devon VonBalson: We played this festival in Gainesville, Florida that we put on every year called “Playground Fest,” and that was the first time I heard people scream the lyrics for our song “Sunlight,” which was really special. We also tried out some songs from Burnout Days that we’ve never played live before, and “Moonrocks” was received so much better than I was anticipating. Stank faces are always a good sign!
Izzy: “Sunlight” is definitely a favorite of mine. How did that particular track came about?
Dillon Basse: The idea for “Sunlight” started when Tristan came up with the progression on a porch at our writing trip in North Carolina. We actually called it “Porch” for a long time, even telling people at shows it was called “Porch.” We wanted to put this one out as the last single because it’s pretty different from the first two singles and shows a whole other side of the album.
Izzy: You’ve been on Dualtone Records for a few years now, which is such a cool label (Shovels & Rope are one of my favorite bands.) How is it working with them and being a part of that label family?
Madeline: We love working with Dualtone! Lovely people work and run the company, and we’re honored to be a part of their roster. They’re incredibly supportive, and we truly appreciate how they prioritize the artist and trust our choices.
Izzy: What can be expected of the live show when you headline Franklin Music Hall, in terms of setlist, production, and just the general energy of the night?
Devon: With this being The Burnout Days Tour, people can expect most of the songs from this album to be played on this run (few of the oldies too!) We’re still brainstorming new gimmicks to try during the show and those should end up being really fun as crowd participation moments. The lighting rig has experienced a few upgrades so it should be hitting super hard each night. As far as energy goes, because of how excited we are to share this album live with whoever finds their way into one of our shows, you can expect that the energy we bring to the stage for this tour will be 110%.
Izzy: How do you like getting to headline these massive nightclubs these days? There’s something great about the intimacy of a sweaty barroom show, but I imagine it’s also nice to be able to put on a real production and have a stage that really gives you the chance to move around. I know you’ve also played a lot of festivals, but I imagine it’s a bit of a different feeling when it’s your show.
Devon: For me it’s kinda like comparing apples to oranges. They’re entirely different experiences! I really do love the scaled up big venue vibe because it allows our songs to reach sonic and visual heights in the live setting that otherwise would be much harder to achieve in a smaller venue. Even though at times it’s not as comfortable, I do miss playing the smaller clubs because the energy you get from that intimate of a space is just unmatched. There’s less of a barricade to break down between you and the audience. Festivals are a blast and honestly feels like less pressure walking out on those stages because there’s so many people who have no idea who you are, whereas at big headline shows there’s the pressure to meet and exceed the expectations of your fans. We always wanna top the last show we put on for an audience.
Izzy: You’ve done a lot of touring in recent years. What are some of your favorite things about touring (or just getting to be on the road), in addition to actually playing live itself?
Tristan Duncan: I think some of my favorite parts of touring is the insight gained from seeing so many places. It’s easy to feel insular despite how much social media connects us and whatnot, but I think seeing places and people firsthand gives so much context to the lives people lead around the country and world. And if anything, it always reminds me of how much I don’t know.
*Get your tickets here.
