At Emo’s venue on Oct. 17, 2025, Fleshwater made a tour stop in Austin for their new album 2000: In Search of The Endless Sky. The post-hardcore / alt metal album features unique distortion sounds, melodic male-female vocals and dream-like instrumentals
Surrounding the venue, fans showed off their various band tees as the merchandise line wrapped around the entire space. The stage held a surreal atmosphere as the lights and set design complemented their album cover. Purple and blue spotlights shone from behind the band as giant fake swans hung in the air, all backed by Fleshwater’s iconic windmill motif.
Marisa Shirar, the band’s vocalist, stole the show with her ability to mix ethereal vocals with intense instrumentals, resulting in a dreamy combination. The drums echoed with force yet blended into the powerfully melodic sound Fleshwater is known for.
As Fleshwater opened their set with “Drowning Song,” the crowd instantly shifted their energy to the clashing of drums and guitar pedals. The high-energy crowd made the performance memorable, as the movement was consistent throughout the whole song. The best way to describe this was as if the crowd was yearning for their presence. Abigail and I were victims of the beat and moshed along the crowd with our purses.
The setlist consisted of more recent releases along with older hits; notably, songs like “Linda Claire” followed by “What Was Really Said” were played. Their album We’re Not Here To Be Loved holds the songs “Woohoo,” “Kiss The Ladder,” and “The Razor’s Apple,”,which were all played and moshed to with pure passion. Alexis and I took turns in the pit while passing off each other's purses to another (ultimate girl hack).
Their set was cathartic and hypnotising– even the audio guy was banging his head, impressed at his work. Personally, to be a part of shows like these is to be in tune with the crowd. Although I was recovering from a calf injury, I (Alexis) went against my doctor's orders and moshed with the crowd, wearing a leg boot and had the best experience ever. I might have had a slight mishap dancing to “What Was really said,” but nonetheless, loved every bit of it.
Alexis and I left that night with a sense of gratitude for the gift that music draws upon people. It made us feel alive and truly in the moment. We saw the beauty of connection and expression through the music. Our friendship blossomed as we bonded over our Fleshwater love. As we say: Live, Love, Fleshwater.