Loving and Fog Lake at DC9: Concert Recap

By Alexandra Henriques

Photographed by Alexandra Henriques

Fog Lake; Alexandra Henriques

On March 19, Loving, with support from Fog Lake, performed a sold-out show at DC9 Nightclub. The venue is nestled into a strip of various eateries, bars, and shops, and is only a five-minute walk from both the Shaw-Howard Metro station and the U-Street station. Upon walking in, it looks like a bar, but the upper level has a stage for performances. The venue’s great air ventilation protected concertgoers from heatstroke and dehydration. Additionally, it was a small venue, so it felt incredibly intimate. There was no bad view; everyone could see the stage incredibly well.

Fog Lake opened the show with a very casual, relaxed set. Aaron Powell, the person behind Fog Lake, took song requests, saying he did not plan anything and wanted to perform what the audience wanted to hear. He has kept a couple of songs consistent throughout, such as “California,” though he also performed songs such as “Novocaine,” which is not a part of his constant set. Powell has a very breathy and gravely sound when performing live that matches the tone of his music. It makes his songs sound even darker and more haunting, which was very interesting to hear compared to his recorded music. However, Powell kept a perfect dichotomy between depression and silliness, making jokes between songs, such as how he wanted to pick apart Lil Nas X’s brain and be him for a day.

Loving; Alexandra Henriques

Fog Lake’s set was about half an hour long, and then there was half an hour between him and Loving as the stagehands prepped the stage. However, they had to set up two basses, a keyboard, and bring a second guitar to the stage, so the wait was understood! With a full band as Loving had, their psychedelic folk sound was so engaging and mesmerizing. Each song had its own lights, whether red or blue, strobing, or disco lights, which made the show even more enthralling. This performance was Loving’s first time performing in Washington D.C., as they are a Canadian-based band, and their past tour was canceled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Even though most of Loving’s songs are slow and sad, all the band members joked between songs. Their lead singer even joked, “You guys seem sad and quiet, you wouldn’t be here otherwise.” Another fun bit was when their bassist, Keenan Mittag-Degala, needed more voice in his earpiece and their lead joked, “He’s obsessed with me.” Overall, it created a perfect balance and made for a great show. I recommend seeing them next time they are near the DMV area!

You can support and listen to Fog Lake and Loving on Spotify, Apple Music, and Bandcamp.