diiv has found the secret sauce to a perfect show. (June 29th, 2024)
With this being my third time seeing DIIV, I’ve become pretty familiar with their live show and onstage spectacles. Or at least I had thought so. Seeing them on their “Frog In Boiling Water” tour was not only the best performance I’ve seen from them, but by far one of the best performances I’ve seen in the last couple years. With a rotation of musicians coming in and out of the band over the last decade, it looks like DIIV has finally found the perfect formula, including their stage presence. From the variety of projections that change with their spanning career, to the underlying theme of their album “Frog In Boiling Water” being more than just album, but almost a bridge into a higher plane, not unlike a cult in some sense. You can tell there was a lot of growth and exploration in this album, especially being produced in the tail-end of COVID. There are undertones of socio-political turmoil, the lack of human connection, and the wool being pulled over our eyes in regard to consumerism.
This is all icing on the beautiful cake of their actual performances though. DIIV has been no stranger to introducing new members to the band, and having members leave. They’ve always been solid performers in their own right, but this lineup of members seemed to really understand the assignment. From walls of sound, to perfecting their trademark shoe gaze quality, they make sure to leave everything out on that stage, and for that we are eternally grateful.