By Jacob Pellegrino
Yves Tumor is currently embarking on their “To Spite or Not to Spite” tour on the heels of the release of their fourth album “Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds).” Tumor’s experimental rock music lends itself perfectly to live performances that make it feel as if you’re in a club out of a slightly dystopian futuristic movie.
Yves Tumor opened with “God Is a Circle,” the first track from their most recent album. The song, which features heavy breathing as part of the instrumental, felt expanded live, letting me hear more of the guitar and drums. It also gained more of a push and pull in the tempo, starting slightly slower and quieter beginning before opening up to start the show.
Tumor performed in front of a stark stage, with his band behind him and an array of lights to bathe the venue in a variety of colors depending on the song being played. At times, they jumped into the crowd, inspiring cheers and excitement throughout the venue. The crowd was moving throughout the entire night, at one point shifting back to create a mosh pit around the front of the stage.
The setlist primarily drew from Yves Tumor’s newest album by a large margin, but other fan favorites like “Gospel for a New Century” and “Kerosene!” were integrated into the set. Having previously seen Yves Tumor in 2021, it was nice to hear their new tracks live. Tumor did not interact with the audience a ton by talking, rather they focused on performing their songs to the best level possible.
Yves Tumor is one of those artists that pushes the boundaries of rock music through constant experimentation. This hunger for new forms of expression is perfect for a live environment as it brings a strong energy to the performance.
