Hamilton College students filled the Annex on Friday, March 30 to hear indie-pop band Air Traffic Controller and alternative rock-punk duo Diet Cig. The well-attended concert was hosted by WHCL, Hamilton’s radio station.
The opener, Air Traffic Controller, has had an impressive career. The band has over fifteen million plays on Spotify and in 2016 was selected as a Showcase Artist at the South by Southwest festival. Before forming the band, frontman Dave Munro served in the U.S. Navy as an air traffic controller, a role which inspired the band’s name.
Air Traffic Controller began the night with an acoustic set. Lead singer Munro told the audience, “We don’t usually play an all-acoustic set, but we figured Diet Cig was gonna rock so hard.” Several of the band’s songs featured the mandolin, which added a unique element to the music. Overall, Air Traffic Controller’s set, which included “The House,” “After Party,” and “Hurry Hurry,” was a lovely warm up for a night of fun dancing and energetic rock.
Diet Cig was formed in 2014, released an EP. “Over Easy” in 2015, and released its debut album,
Swear I’m Good At This,
in 2017. The anticipation in the Annex was palpable as Diet Cig took the stage; many students were clearly already big fans. WHCL’s head publication editor Drey Darnis ’18 explained their decision to bring Diet Cig to Hamilton: “We wanted Diet Cig to headline as they are an incredibly fun alternative rock-punk duo who makes wonderfully loud and dance-inducing music. We wanted a concert where people danced and had fun and didn’t take themselves too seriously. Diet Cig’s lyrics also tell relatable and hysterical stories, that keep the show entertaining and stimulating.” The band’s set included some of its most popular songs, “Sixteen,” “Tummy Ache,” and “Link in Bio,” among others.
Darnis added, “Unrelated to WHCL, I personally think that Diet Cig is amazing in the way they convey political messages. Lead singer Alex Luciano often gives a shout-out to queer audience members, with a particular emphasis on trans and nonbinary folks.Additionally, she always emphasizes at the beginning of their shows that there should be absolutely no touching of people unless that touching is consensual. She says feel free to dance around and feel the music in your body and be free, but not at the expense of the people’s space around you.”
Darnis added: “Also, at one point in her set she described how she is often told that she takes up too much space for a small woman, and that she is annoying and should be less loud and less pushy, and all of her performances are basically a big f*ck you to these things that she’s told and to the patriarchy. She went on to encourage the audience to yell something along the lines of ‘I am not afraid to take up space, I will proudly take up space,’ and she said that cisgender men in the room should be more quiet while yelling this phrase. I really appreciated the political nature of Diet Cig’s performance, as well as their obvious amazingly fun musicality.” The audience also appreciated Diet Cig’s politics, as many people were snapping, clapping, and cheering when Luciano made political remarks.
The “dance-inducing” nature of Diet Cig’s music was remarkable. Darnis reflected on this, saying, “I think the concert was an absolute blast. I personally danced the whole time. Those who really wanted to dance left the main standing area and stood to the side of the stage in order that they could jump, flail, kick, and take up space without harming those around them. Diet Cig gives simply incredible performances. Alex Luciano’s high kicks are wildly impressive. She can sing, belt, scream, play guitar, and jump around and kick the air. Her energy is endless.”
Both Air Traffic Controller and Diet Cig also brought their individual flare and style to the decorations on the Annex stage. Air Traffic Controller filled the stage with Christmas lights, and Diet Cig decorated its equipment with stuffed penguins and rubber ducks. Overall, WHCL brought an enjoyable and lively evening to Hamilton with their decision to invite Air Traffic Controller and Diet Cig.
