Written by Eve Leupold

On October 10, I had the privilege of attending GUM’s performance at Lincoln Hall in Chicago. Those who are unacquainted with GUM might be familiar with his other endeavors: the guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, who has also performed under his legal name Jay Watson, offered up his guitar skills on tracks by Tame Impala, Pond, and the Novocaines. As GUM, he’s charting solo territory; Watson is currently touring to promote his new album, Saturnia, which is out now on Apple Music and Spotify.

Walking into the packed venue at Lincoln Hall, I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect. But the other concert-goers evidently knew what they were in for; many were cheering for Watson a full thirty minutes before he took the stage, and I overheard conversations between fans revering Watson for his considerable acoustic prowess. As I continued to wait, I became increasingly aware of GUM’s cult appeal. Hyperactive concert attendees shouted and jumped up and down; and by the time the lights dimmed and the star finally made his appearance at center-stage, the enthusiasm in the concert hall was viscerally palpable.

Watson kicked off with a hyper guitar riff and followed with a chill instrumental, guided by a hoppy, choral beat and the soft tinsel echoes of the drummer’s crash cymbal. The lights glowed rose-gold before bleeding into neon green. After a couple of upbeat riffs from his newest record, Watson rolled into a slow-going guitar medley, accompanied by acoustics, keyboard, and drums. The sound was mellow and consistent, sending bustling waves of sound into a crowd which rippled with dance and movement.

Much of the performance centered around experimentation with sound and color. Watson’s use of the set design reminded me of the experiential value of concerts and musical performances: the show was heavily bolstered not only by the music itself, but also by excellent acoustics, vibrant and captivating lights, and a dedicated and compelling audience. The kaleidoscopic hues from the stage lights mingled with Watson’s meandering melodies, captivating my senses and immersing me fully in the present moment.

If you’re looking for more of the psychedelic guitar riffs which helped make some of Tame Impala’s most iconic hits, then GUM is an excellent artist to invest in. Perhaps what I admired most about Watson was the way he leaned into his instrumental tracks and organized most of his backup instruments to compliment, rather than be complimented by, the lead guitar. Watson let the loud, achey quality of the strings take precedence over even his own vocal arrangements. By lending full power and precedence to this instrument, Watson helped his audience to feel the full force of his music. I will remember this night as an ode to both the awesomeness of Psychadelic rock and the beauty of some hardcore electric guitar, which registered as strongly and distinctly as most performers’ voices normally would.