The next morning, I “wake up at noon” and obsessively replay my Instagram story, countless times over. Swiping through my socials, all platforms are inundated with similar clips which my online friends posted, now just flashing pixels that bring back memories of the night before. 

An agitation that comes only before an anticipated set, I remember how the late start time riled up the room. iPhones were obscured as the lights dropped. For the first few tracks, watching through these screens was the closest I could get to seeing The Dare perform. While his live vocals gave justice to the buzzy rage of “Open Up,” seeing this photo evidence helped place me in my otherwise quiet city, where such newly hyped artists rarely visit.

Photo by Brandon Artis | brandonartisphotography.com

It was a ‘you had to be there’, if only you were “Invited”, kind of night. The crowd captured our headliner in a modest indie venue, on the precipice of arenas. The jam-packed oversold show was well attended by local nano-influences, with social media feeds the next day inducing FOMO. We aspire to be as influential to our cities as the attendees of Smith’s own parties in New York. Just months ago, videos surfaced online where The Dare towered on the makeshift stage at Charli XCX’s LA birthday party. After all, his production on “Guess” contributed in-part to a world tour for What’s Wrong with New York?, Smith’s first full-length album.

Instead of bringing a band on tour, Smith hired a lighting guy, who he shouts out live as if it were his bandmate. This lighting design masterfully accommodates each iPhone shot. Our posts turned out as sexy as his music promises, with a spotlight on Smith. He keeps a pair of designer sunglasses on for the whole set, never dropping the manifested character of a celebrity followed by paparazzi. 

Appeasing the crowd, Smith’s most popular-online tracks were saved for last. We were warmed up for “All Night”, and having pushed to the front, we clambered for the best shots before the lights came on. The synths got even more grimy as they transitioned into his hit single “Girls,” the packed audience ready to receive his stage dive. To be a part of the content fans had seen on their feeds for months, being in The Dare’s club turned out to be as much of a party as it appears online.

Photo by Brandon Artis | brandonartisphotography.com