Beach Fossils @ Johnny Brenda’s.

Text and images by Grace Dickinson.

“Everyone here tastes like butterscotch, with a hint of lavender,” said Dustin Payseur, frontman and founder of Beach Fossils. “Very sweet crowd tonight.”

It’s more likely the beanie-heavy audience tasted like bitter pale ales and hoppy red ryes. However, it certainly wasn’t a crowd lacking any enthusiasm. Beach Fossils’ delivered an energetic show this past Saturday night before a sold-out crowd, packing both floors of Johnny Brenda’s.

Payseur kicked off the performance by throwing himself into a semi-emerging mosh pit. Soon after returning to the stage, he invited his fellow dancers to come join him.

“Feel free to come up here and jump on stage and shit,” said Payseur. “That’s what Saturdays are for.”

Payseur started Beach Fossils in 2009 as a solo project. He started gaining recognition for his concert performances, which felt much more lively than the first self-titled record he released. Joining him for the tour were Cole Smith (from DIIV) and John Peńa (from Heavenly Beat), who later left to work on their own projects.

Payseur’s drummer, Tommy Gardener, however, stayed to become a full-time member of the band and went on to collaborate with Payseur for Beach Fossils’ latest album, Clash the Truth. Released only a few weeks ago, it was this album that Beach Fossils drew heavily on for the show.

While Clash the Truth feels a little less dreamy and a little more up-tempo than Beach Fossils original albums and EPs, it’s still not until their live performance that you’d feel really inclined to dance. At the show though, there wasn’t any lack of that. Some unexpected crowd surfing was even attempted within the very last song.

The next stop for Beach Fossils will be Brooklyn, Payseur’s hometown.

“This is the last night before we go back to New York, so you guys are really special,” he said, a sweet goodbye for his sweet, sweet crowd.