PLVTINUM: “HELLBOUND” But Sent to Heaven 

It’s not often you come across a crowd of people hoping to get spit on, but that’s exactly what you would have found on Jan. 26 at Cafe Du Nord in San Francisco. A night of red lights, chokers and a whole lot of eyeliner, those in the PLVTINUM fandom are feral by nature and not afraid to show it.

When I found out that he was going to be in San Francisco, I made sure to snag tickets and pull my friends along. Let me tell you now, the months of waiting were worth it. As I maneuvered through SF streets in leather heels and spiderweb fishnets, I had no idea that one of the best concerts of my life was soon to commence. 

PLVTINUM, aka Micheal Turner, is an alt-pop artist overtaking American on his first-ever HELLBOUND TOUR. Imagine a combination of Chase Atlantic and Blackbear, but with more explicit lyrics and… well, even hotter energy. Prior to his tour, PLVTINUM became a sensation in the editing community. Through songs like “Come My Way” and “COFFIN” people were able to bring to life some of their most beloved fictional hotties. His music became a space for BookTok followers, anime addicts, and Kpop lovers to scream at every beat drop. Although he jokes online that his song “Champagne & Sunshine” is his one-hit-wonder, I highly disagree. Cafe Du Nord may be a small venue, but you could have gotten a high off the air alone: no better way to start off a new semester.

Now before I move too deep into PLVTINUM, I cannot forget the way the night was ignited by the openers. If anyone left me in a daze it would have been the dark-pop artist Vana. Originating from New Zealand, she ran on stage with flaming red hair, matching thigh garters and tattoos running along her chest and arms. Lighting a match with “Pretty Boy” the song starts with melodic piano and breathy lyrics. However, don’t get too comfortable because the shift is quick to submerge you deep into various metallic bites and grungy baselines that grind into each other. Metal influences paired with her clear and bright voice create the separation that makes Vana so enchanting.

Before you can ask, yes, the gay panic was definitely present in the room that night. With each pre-chorus Vana came (or crawled) up to the crowd. Holding the faces of audience members gently in her hands, she demanded eye contact that could have made anyone melt. She continues on with tracks “RAGDOLL”, “DISGUSTING”, and “SPIT!” Spread among her delicate whispers and childish intonations came the powerful side of her vocals; bewitching guttural screams. Although it was my first time listening to her, she had me yelling “spit, gurgle, rinse” like an animal.

While Vana has a more sensual sound with aggressive highlights, Dutch Melrose is what I think of when I search up “dark red Tumblr 2016 aesthetic” (look it up and tell me it doesn’t hold true, I triple dog dare you). His dark indie vibes are ideal for sad romantics. 

Before Dutch Melrose, I have to give props to his guitarist and drummer for pushing through the stubborn battery problems that kept arising. Even as the guitarist signaled for assistance, he managed to steal the show. With an expressive nature and I-know-you-want-me demeanor, he felt himself in the reverb of every chord. 

Apart from the technical mishaps, Dutch Melrose’s introduction with “Hate Being Alone” was amazing. The dreamy synths and laid-back nature sent a feeling of nostalgia through my spine. I think the lyrics explain my reaction perfectly: falling fast, falling hard, go and rip me apart. The reverb in “Sleepless” tells a love story I long for even though it terrifies me at the same time. Would I fall out of love unrecognizable on the other side? Although his soft voice compliments his indie sound in “SOS” and “RIP”, I ricochet back to the dark side with the synth-driven “RUSH” and lethal imagery of “RUNRUNRUN”: Run, baby, run, run for your life. Gonna tear out your heart, it’ll always be mine.

It was finally time for PLVTINUM to appear. Like thunder, his intro track “HELLBOUND” infiltrated the speakers, spoken word rippling across an audience pleasantly edged but hungry for more. With a flash of red light, he erupted from the side doors and bounded onto stage. In long black jeans and baby tee, confidence oozed from his being. Throughout the night he said felt like a “motherf-cking rockstar” and he certainly was one. The energy was electric, and what surprised me most was how active he was throughout the entire show. Some artists hold back on their performance, saving the best for the very last. PLVTINUM is different. No more than five minutes in and this man was practically crowd surfing. I took great pleasure holding up his upper body as he laid back into the audience. Throughout the entire concert he was so close. I could even see the beads of sweat dripping off this man as he hung over us, leaning forward on overhead speakers. 

A quick transition into “IF THERE IS A GOD, IT’S ME” and he is on the floor again, still raging. PLVTINUM goes hard from the beginning and refuses to let the moment escape from his grasp. For songs like “PRETTY WHEN YOU CRY” that use heavy voice effects and synthetic pitching, his live vocals and natural vibrato held strong, mixing in delectably with the fevered bass. 

Through each track there was not a lack of surprises. Performing “THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA” with Vana was a highlight of the night. Almost like a race, they bounded through the crowd all the way to the audience members in the back. For anyone who spilled their cup, PLVTINUM vowed to buy them drinks. In “Jennifer’s Body” with Dutch Melrose, a mother and daughter duo were invited on stage to sing and dance with them. I held a stranger’s hand throughout the entirety of “Lemonade” and got to scream my lungs out to “Touch”. The venue was filled to the brim with sound, but at the same time it had never felt so intimate. 

What I learned from that night is that PLVTINUM is a truly authentic performer. A lot of current pop music describes sexual actions and desires, but in my opinion its blunt manner can be invasive and objectifying, especially if not done by someone of female or queer identity. Although PLVTINUM does have a very explicit sound, his genuine nature and tight-knit community transforms the music away from a place of objectification to liberation. With a primarily female-identifying crowd, he becomes a vessel to embrace sexuality. Someone I met that night told me she “only needs PLVTNUM’s voice to orgasm” and in-between sets another person yelled for PLVTINUM to take his shirt off. While PLVTINUM poked fun at how feral we were, ultimately it was only patience that we proved to lack, for he fulfilled the wish during his “Champagne & Sunshine” finale.

There is this give and take that makes the fandom so close. I even participated in one of his viral “baptisms” where PLVTINUM drinks water and sprays the audience in his spit. While one may not understand how the night left us lost in pure elation, the instant connection and continuous energy of the concert has embedded itself as a very special memory in my mind. PLVTINUM gave his all to make sure we achieved the greatest high. We left the night feeling ablaze, no room to feel shame in our desires.

Article and photos by Jenai Johns-Peterson