Garage Rock Legend, Ty Segall, Reawakens San Francisco

The night of Wednesday, February 2nd in San Francisco appeared hushed and lethargic–few pedestrians scattered the sidewalks and the skyscrapers towered above, quiet and dim. A growing crowd gathered outside August Hall, filing into the venue with anticipation, entering an atmosphere which starkly contrasted the quiet nature of the neighboring streets.

The energy started off high as the opening band, Oog Bogo, set the tone for the rest of the night, delivering post-punk ballads bracing the audience for the lively noise that was yet to come. The hall filled with eager fans, awaiting Ty Segall to rejuvenate their spirits through his infectious melodies. Bathed in magenta and blue light, Segall strolled on stage, smirking at the audience. He eased into the performance, eliciting droning guitar chords, and beginning the show with songs off his most recent album Harmonizer (2021), such as “Whisper” and “Erased.”

His discography laden with guitar fuzz and distortion, Segall stakes his claim as one of the most influential contributors to the garage rock revival. As demonstrated within his shows, his music is tinged with psychedelia and pays homage to his many influences, spanning from Black Flag to Neil Young. His San Francisco performance was backed by the members of the Freedom Band, including long-time collaborators and friends Mikal Cronin and Charles Moothart. Since his debut album release in 2009, Segall’s music exhibits his diverse experimentation; his work can be raw and DIY, while simultaneously refined and undeniably intricate.

Wednesday night at August Hall further solidified his talent as he ruled the stage with his powerful commanding notes. Ty Segall’s music is the kind you listen to with your entire body, the vibrations consuming the audience, sounds swallowing up the crowd and spitting them back out by throwing bodies together in a mosh. He ignited the crowd with fan favorites such as “Finger,” off his 2010 release Melted (2010), and “Alta,” a riff-heavy classic off of Freedom’s Goblin (2018).

Segall masterfully navigated the fretboard of his guitar while swaying and lunging; his ability to forcefully deliver electrifying solos attests to his years of practice and perfecting of his craft. Long, blond hair framed his face, covering his eyes for a majority of the performance, yet he remained deeply connected with onlookers—the crowd mesmerized by the emphatic feedback and resounding guitar, attuned to every note that Segall produced.

He concluded the night with “Love Fuzz,” a rhythmic classic off his 2012 album, Twins, raising his guitar towards the sky as if offering it to the cherub statues crowning the top of the venue’s stage. The crowd filed out of the hall, lining the sleepy streets of San Francisco they had escaped for a few hours, returning home with a reignited energy and a lingering ringing in their ears.