Twen Brings High-energy Indie Rock to Chicago
Twen rolled through Chicago’s Lincoln Hall on Friday night as part of their Fate Euphoric Tour, playing in a room filled wall to wall with fans eager for a night of high-energy indie rock.
Opening the show was Monsoon, a two-piece band from Georgia that wasted no time making an impression. From the first notes of their set, they pulled the crowd in with a mix of playful art rock and thrashing guitar riffs. Their performance was elevated by pulsing lights and heavy strobe effects, creating an atmosphere that felt both hypnotic and slightly haunting. It was the perfect way to ignite a room full of twenty-somethings, all buzzing in anticipation for the headliner.
When Twen finally took the stage, it became immediately clear why they’re considered one of the most exciting rising bands in the indie rock scene. Led by vocalist Jane Fitzsimmons alongside guitarist Ian Jones, the band delivered a performance that was both explosive and deeply engaging. They opened with “Tapdance in Limbo,” the first track from their 2025 release Fate Euphoric, sending a surge of energy through the crowd from the outset.
The band moved seamlessly through a setlist that blended newer material with songs from their 2022 album One Stop Shop, including standouts like Dignitary Life and Bore U. Each track was met with enthusiastic sing-alongs, the crowd proving just how devoted Twen’s fanbase has already become.
Twen’s DIY aesthetic is central to their identity. Having emerged from Boston’s DIY scene and continuing to tour full-time out of a van, their approach to performance feels raw, personal, and unfiltered. That authenticity translates directly to their live shows, where there’s little separation between band and audience. The crowd felt less like passive spectators and more like participants in something shared.
Fitzsimmons, in particular, had a magnetic presence throughout the night. Rarely staying in one place, she moved fluidly through the venue, stepping off the stage, weaving through the crowd, and even climbing onto the bar at one point. Her energy was relentless, matched by playful banter and constant engagement with fans. It created a sense that the performance wasn’t confined to the stage, but instead was happening everywhere at once.
Musically, Twen channels elements of classic rock and psychedelia, but their live energy pushes those influences into something distinctly modern and urgent. The result is a show that feels both nostalgic and grounded in tradition but driven by a restless, youthful intensity.
By the end of the night, Lincoln Hall felt less like a venue and more like a shared space between the band and the audience. The performance was immersive, chaotic in the best way, and deeply interactive. For a band still carving out its place in the indie landscape, Twen seems to have built something lasting.
Setlist
Tapdance In Limbo
Fortune 500
Keep Your Company
Chase You
Feeling In Love (From the Waist Down)
Dignitary Life
Prelude to Waterloo
Tumbleweed
Bore U
Sweet Dreams (In The Parking Lot)
Brooklyn Bridge
SeaStar
Don’t Dream It’s Over (Crowded House Cover)
Allnighter
One Stop Shop
Godlike
HaHaHome
