Ty Segall rocks out @ Beachland Ballroom & Tavern

cleveland, ohio - may 5, 2024

On May 5 at Beachland Ballroom & Tavern in Cleveland, OH, Ty Segall calmly walked on the stage. He had an air of coolness, he was calm and collected. One might never have known that he was about to prove that rock isn’t dead; it’s indeed alive and kicking.

Though just before his set there was an incident where a small piece of the ceiling had fallen, Segall was unphased — he laughed and referenced the opener, saying “I guess Sharpie Smile really brought the house down.” Then, he swiftly moved into his first number, “The Bell.” His clear vocals rang out across the venue, with lyrics such as “To realize, to be alive / The point where we begin and die / There is no separation.” As he sang the repeated lines that made up the chorus “'Round and 'round,” it felt as if the room was wrapped around him.

Ty Segall. Photo via @tysegall on Instagram.

In the second song, “Void,” Segall’s and his bandmates’ guitar skills began to shine through. The audience was riveted by strong chords to accompany his smooth singing. Harmonies with a band member brought the song to life in its last verse: “Hello / Hello / Through a mirror, you'll see clearer / The stones are made of dust / And the metal is only rust.”

Then, Segall checked in with the crowd, asking if the ceiling was still attached. It was clear he cared about his audience and wanted to ensure everyone’s wellbeing.

The next song, “I Hear,” was a cacophony of noise in the best way. Between strong instrumental backing and Segall getting in the groove, it was easy to tell that he was truly feeling his music. At the ending chords of the song, the crowd screamed in excitement.

“Hi Dee Dee” was one of the highlights of the night, with Segall hitting his high notes perfectly.  The song — and show as a whole — had a classic feel to it. The lighting remained consistent and simple, allowing the audience to focus on Segall and his performance alone.

“Emotional Mugger/Leopard Priestess” built the crowd up with a lively introduction, guitar blaring as Segall proclaimed “I am emotional mugger” with ferocity. Throughout the song, the instrumental backing seemed to bounce off the walls, creating an all-encompassing experience. At the end, Segall chanted “Let’s ride.”

“The Crawler” hyped up the crowd, sending an already excited group into a frenzy of constant dancing and motion. The song set the room up well for the next one, “My Head Explodes.” One of the show’s defining moments was when the drums picked up for the passionate outburst of the titular chorus — “​​My head explodes, my head explodes / Like the water, like the skin exposed my head explodes.” Everyone in the crowd was headbanging, united by the intensity of the music.

Cheers led Segall into “Imaginary Person.” Here, the guitar took the center stage, claiming attention and infiltrating the headspace of every audience member. “Waxman” and “Love Fuzz” continued along the same trajectory of the show — simply put, they were well-performed. This was a show that didn’t need props or theatrics, it was all about the music. As one watched Segall throw his head back in passion, belt out compelling lyrics, or shred on his guitar, it was apparent that he is a musician in the truest sense of the word. Not only was his voice powerful, but his guitar seemed to have a voice of its own.

The show continued to exceed expectations with “My Best Friend.” Segall shared a sweet sentiment with the lyrics “All I need is my best friend.” Following “My Best Friend,” “My Room” provided one of the high points of the evening, being met with whistles upon its ending.

The third to last song before the encore, “Wait,” soulfully asked, “Why don't you lay, why don't you lay your head down?” Despite the yearning nature of the song’s lyrics, by its end the crowd was rowdy and head banging. However, Segall forced everyone to take a breath with a slower number, “Looking at You.”

“Looking at You” bled into the last regular song of the night, “Denée.” Though, of course, Segall’s singing complemented the song, the guitar here was what truly defined it. It is difficult to fully encapsulate in words, but it was dramatic, fervent, and fiery. Though the song lyrics only consist of one repeated word, that being the title, Segall was effectively able to distinguish each call from the one before, creating an engaging, gripping performance. After his last iteration, Segall took a bow, waved, and thanked the audience before exiting the stage.

For the encore, Segall returned with a lively rendition of his most popular track, “My Lady’s On Fire.” He finished strong with “Melted,” the whole room going absolutely wild.

Segall’s unique blend of neo-psychedelic sounding vocals alongside garage rock style guitar leads to an engrossing and arresting show. Every moment feels dramatic, nothing is lackluster at a show such as this.