My friend and I found ourselves anxiously sitting in stand-still traffic, blasting the Cigarettes After Sex set list as we waited for the long line of cars to shift forward and bring us closer to tonight’s concert. After over an hour, we finally arrived at the Dickies Arena, sprinting over to the box office to ensure we wouldn’t miss too much of the concert. As we walked over to our seats, we took a moment to acknowledge the immaculate fashion sense of the audience. From black lace to red leathe r outfits, I realized that the beautiful niche of music that Cigs After Sex has created has also attracted a fanbase with an eclectic sense of fashion. As we made our way to our seats, we were greeted by a couple whose daughter works for the band. Together, we articulated our excitement for the concert to begin.
Not short of five minutes later, the lights began to dim and the melodious instrumentals to Cigarettes’ track, “X’s,” filled the stadium. The crowd roared as the band entered the stage, and for the first time, I saw an entire stadium unite over their love for Cigs After Sex. After their first song, it only took one glance around the room to see fans sobbing and hugging each other. I saw friend groups bond with other friend groups and lovers hold each other a little tighter. It was something about the simple act of hearing Greg Gonzalez’s vocals resound through Dickies Arena that tugged the heartstrings of every filled seat in the audience.
Shortly after, I heard something that I never expected to hear when I walked through those doors. Cigarettes After Sex began to cover “Neon Moon” by Brooks & Dunn, a classic country song. “Neon Moon”’s lyrics are about a man finding consolation in a drink under a bar’s neon moon as he mourns a lost love. The melancholic undertone of the song was on-brand for CAS and was highlighted be Gonzalez’s heart-pulling rendition. While I’ve always prided myself over the fact that I am an avid concert goer who never cries from vocals, this performance from Cigarettes After Sex made me feel as though I might not be able to associate myself with that title anymore. The emotion I felt from their songs reminded me of the same longing kind of heartbreak I would feel from artists like Lionel Richie and Labrinth.
The night closed off with “Apocalypse” sending every audience member into a state of deep thought. If you ever find yourself at a Cigarettes After Sex concert, expect yourself to remember in great detail memories that you couldn’t recall previously. Prepare yourself to sit there and reminisce on past experiences, the ones that shaped you into who you are today. Both the instrumentals and vocals of this band are interwoven with the power to make you feel emotions like you never have before. Their concerts aren’t normal concerts—they’re experiences that involve the body, soul, and mind. Cigarettes After Sex isn’t the kind of band to dance around the stage and wiggle around to electrifying music; their performances are the kind where you just sit in your seat, close your eyes, and feel. The heavenly experience I was given by Cigarettes After Sex was well worth the hour of traffic.
