Turnstile Tuesday: Turnstile Love Connection Sells Out in Las Vegas

It was a cloudy Tuesday night, and rain threatened to come down on the long line of fans dressed in black, all waiting to enter Brooklyn Bowl for the sold out night of the Turnstile Love Connection Tour. Doors were meant to open at 6pm, but fans were allowed to enter at 5pm due to the impending rainfall.

The music started a little after 7pm with experimental pop artist Spellling (Chrystia “Tia” Cabral) who is no stranger to the Vegas desert. It was her third visit this year. She had opened for King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard during their two-night stop in Vegas back in April. This night was also her second and last night on the Turnstile Love Connection Tour. Dressed in a flowing yellow skirt that moved with her dizzying presence, she absolutely gave it her all. With her full band and background singers swaying about through each performance, it was hard to not pay attention. The crowd was mesmerized.

Moments after that first set, the stage flooded with red, signaling the arrival of indie rock artist Snail Mail. Claudia, a long-time Snail Mail fan in attendance, was moved by the experience: “Seeing [Snail Mail] on stage [for the first time] took me back to when I first listened to her. I’m glad she played some of her old songs, especially ‘Speaking Terms.’ It’s such a beautiful song. I almost cried.”

Along with “Speaking Terms,” Snail Mail sang “Pristine,” “Heat Wave,” and “Full Control” from her LP Lush (2018). She took her fans back in time with “Thinning” from her EP Habit (2016) and tied it all together with songs from her latest LP Valentine (2021). She ended the night with “Headlock” and her latest single, “Valentine.”

Following Spellling and Snail Mail, the crowd was left in a mellow state, but it was evident through the constant looks at the time that impatience was slowly creeping in as we waited for the arrival of the main act.

Turnstile.

The moment Turnstile stepped onto the stage, the crowd erupted with excitement. I have been to dozens of shows at Brooklyn Bowl, but I have never experienced what I did that night. I am not exaggerating when I say this: the floor shook.

The energy emanating from every person in that venue that night will remain unmatched. For the entire set, the crowd jumped and screamed and sang to EVERY SINGLE song. People sat on their friends’ shoulders or surfed the crowd. A ceaseless pit formed in the center of the floor. People jumped off the sides of the first-floor balcony into the sea of people below who carefully carried them over the barricade.

Turnstile started off their set with “HOLIDAY” from their latest album Glow On (2021), and followed it with “Real Thing” and “Big Smile” from Time & Space (2018). Though the rest of the night was mostly a mix of those two albums, Turnstile added “Drop” from their first full-length album Nonstop Feeling (2016), as a little treat.

Between “FLY AGAIN” and “Moon,” drummer Daniel Fang took control of the stage with a captivating solo, allowing everyone in the crowd (and the rest of the band) to catch their breaths.

During “MYSTERY,” their second to final song of the night, I took a moment just to observe my surroundings. Under the white lights that blanketed the sea of people, I could see nothing but pure happiness. The smiles on people’s faces as they sang along with their friends or even complete strangers is a moment that will stay with me for a very, very long time.

Turnstile wrapped up the night with “TLC.” While vocalist Brendan Yates joined the crowd, fans took his place on stage bringing the night to a bittersweet end.

With only a few days left, the Turnstile Love Connection Tour is something you really do not want to miss. Check out the remaining dates below.