Squid Across the Pond

On a rowdy Saturday night in Deep Ellum, I headed over to Club Dada to see UK post-punk band Squid and Brooklyn pop duo Water From Your Eyes. I was extremely excited to see these two bands play a weird, amazing set. Although Squid’s five-piece ensemble, fronted by Ollie Judge, began in 2016, they only released their debut album Bright Green Field in 2021—to critical acclaim. They released their most recent album, O Monolith, in June of 2023. Squid are often compared to some of their British peers like Black Midi, and Black Country, New Road, and I could see the parallels when they were up on stage. Each of the five members played a crucial role in the band’s noisy and eclectic sound, and they did not disappoint. 

The night started with an electric set from art-pop-rock band Water From Your Eyes. The duo consists of Rachel Brown on vocals and Nate Amos on guitar and production. These two have an amazing chemistry and a clear passion for their craft. They performed songs from their newest album Everyone’s Crushed including “Barley,” which was an instant crowd-pleaser. Brown’s weird dance moves invited the crowd to be free and at their most true self. I had an amazing time watching the duo do what they do best, and I felt honored to share a space with them.

There was a quick turnaround after Water From Your Eyes’ set, as pieces were quickly rushed away to make space for Squid’s large array of instruments. As the band entered the stage, Judge sat at his drum kit in the middle of the chaos, surrounded by his band and their guitars, trumpets, keyboards, xylophones, pedalboards… the list goes on. I was profoundly impressed. The band kicked off the set with favorites from their new album including “Swing (In A Dream)” and “If You Had Seen the Bull’s Swimming Attempts You Would Have Stayed Away,” which instantly immersed the crowd and gave us a taste of what the rest of the night would look like. All five members bounced off of each other so effortlessly, and it was clear that they truly admired each other’s work. Judge’s ever-changing vocal inflections and interesting lyrics paired well with the heavy trumpets and drums, making them a perfect representation of post-punk as a whole. They performed one of their many long songs, the nine-minute ballad “Narrator,” bringing attention to the extraordinary instrumental solos that Squid loves to showcase. The storytelling in their lyrics is truly captivating, and it was amazing to see the crowd falling deeper in love with Squid as the night went on.

Squid kept up the energy from the beginning of the set up until the very end. Ollie Judge came right to the front of the crowd, and even remarked “Dallas is really loud!” I think everyone in the crowd was flattered. Even as the set ended, the witty lyrics and intense instrumentals were just as strong as before, and the crowd continued to mosh until the lights came back on. I felt a sort of energy contact high throughout the entire night, and it did not let up until I got home. I consider myself incredibly lucky to be able to see two bands that are obviously in their prime and will continue to be there. I am ecstatic to see what’s next from Water From Your Eyes and Squid.