illuminati hotties, Daffo Led with Earnestness
Daffo at Siberia, by Victoria Conway
On the weekend before Halloween, Siberia hosted varieties of indie guitar rock with illuminati hotties, Daffo and Schmoo.
On Friday, October 25, costumed guests began to fill a dimly lit Siberia as Shmoo took the stage. The solo project of New Orleans-based Teddy Tietze, Shmoo set the tone for the evening with an atmospheric guitar-forward sound and breathy vocals layered over a driving drum beat. Introducing themselves as Alvin and Alvin and the Chipmunks, with costumes to match, it was immediately apparent that the four-piece band was not in the business of taking themselves too seriously.
Between songs, bassist Deven Raval nonchalantly clicked on the radio that sat on an amp behind him. “This is the first time we’ve brought a radio on stage,” Tietze explained as he tuned his guitar. “I’m not very good at talking on stage, I think, so we figured this would be better.” With guitarist Julian Weinheimer and Gary Giofreda Jr. on drums, the group remained in true shoegaze form, eyes cast downward as they traversed a textured landscape of distortion and harmonics, interacting minimally with the audience.
Schmoo at Siberia, by Victoria Conway
Following Shmoo’s set, Daffo continued to float downstream on the current of earnest listening. “Can everyone take two steps forward?” Gabi Gramberg asked as they prepared to play, embracing the intimacy of Siberia’s 200-person capacity. Daffo, the brainchild of Philadelphia-raised vocalist and guitarist Gamberg, was supported by guitarist Wyatt Kirschner, bassist Adri Maiella, and drummer Sam Martinez.
Through a marriage of “grunge folk” instrumentation and crisp vocal melodies, the New York-based group entranced the audience, now a sea of bodies rocking with an unconscious sway. The band’s setlist included their latest single “Get a Life,” released on September 26, and several tracks off their 2023 sophomore EP Pest, described by Gamberg as “a confession of my innermost shame, a collection of songs about self loathing and growing pains.”
Daffo, in a quiet moment, by Victoria Conway
Featuring candid lyrics proclaimed by the dulcet twang of Gamberg’s vocals, the understated authenticity of Daffo’s performance immersed the crowd into a set more akin to your best friend’s backyard show than a national tour. Gamberg’s magnetism shone through onstage as they playfully shoved Kirschner between songs, beaming with an air of unbridled joy. As they neared the end of their set, Gamberg encouraged the audience to do-si-do along to “The Experiment,” a bonus track on Pest which launched them into the TikTok spotlight after posting a video of them singing the song. The largely Gen Z audience, clad in their Halloween attire, dutifully obliged.
Sarah Tudzin of illuminati hotties, by Victoria Conway
As the time neared 11 o’clock, headliner illuminati hotties finally took the stage, fronted by producer, mixer, and audio engineer Sarah Tudzin. The younger audience that had gathered for the openers gave way to a more millennial crowd, with whom illuminati hotties’ self-proclaimed “tenderpunk pioneer” attitude seemed to resonate. The four-piece band, dressed in a uniform of matching shirts that reflect the cover art for their latest album POWER, exuded the distinct vibe of a Los Angeles-based indie rock band: a cohesive aesthetic that bears the hallmark of label branding. Tudzin—backed by guitarist Jake Noveck, bassist Zach Bilson, and drummer Brendan McCusker—delivered a lively performance, jumping up and down on stage as the audience mirrored her. With sweet melodies, catchy hooks, and a bright, guitar-forward sound, illuminati hotties skillfully delivered a vibrant performance interwoven with a tender lyrical honesty that grounds the seemingly polished group in the shared vulnerability of their humanity.
