Daisy Grenade’s Sold Out return to Chicago
Packed shoulder to shoulder inside Chicago's iconic Subterranean venue, fans screamed every lyric back to the New York duo on the evening of May 23rd. Every chorus became a full blown singalong and you would have thought the iconic bi-level venue was a stop on an arena tour that night. Easily selling out Subterranean on their first headlining tour was anticipated as it was clearly Daisy Grenade’s time to shine. The band has opened for names such as State Champs, Fall Out Boy, and Pierce the Veil; and has gained a loyal fan base doing so. It was no surprise that their So Much to Say US tour was met with so much support.
The Brooklyn-based pop-punk duo is made up of singers Dani Nigro and Keaton Whittaker. Formed only recently in 2021, the duo is already considered highly successful and has experienced a steady rise of success in the pop-punk scene. Daisy Grenade is praised for their high energy, electric performances as well as their crowd engagement. Their music is celebrated for their unapologetic nature – gritty guitar riffs, angry emotional lyrics, and catchy melodies. Both girls have extensive background in musical theater and this is utilized to deliver a polished and emotionally intensive vocal performance.
It’s not all that common for every last person at a concert to have every song memorized. But Daisy Grenade fans clearly have that down. Since the lights initially dimmed and the duo took stage, the electric energy in the room never dipped for a second. Starting the set with So Much to Say’s “A Beautiful Girl is a Weapon, I Guess That’s Why They Call Her a Bombshell,” the duo set the scene for the rest of the night. The catchy chorus and sharp hooks is an anthem about perception and female power. The band frames femininity as something intimidating, disruptive, and impossible to ignore – and the crowd explosively yelled back every lyric to the band.
Daisy Grenade continued to sing hits such as “How to Hide a Body” and “Are You Scared of Me Yet,” filling the room with their bubble-gum chaos. The crowd had their hands in the air and jumped up and down while shouting these melodies and the entire venue shook. These tunes skyrocketed the band’s success in the past due to their fiery, theatrical lyrics with punk sounding instrumentals. About halfway through the set, Whittaker asks the crowd, “Is it alright if we play a cover?,” and drummer Pete Lazorcik begins to play the start of No Doubt’s “Hella Good.” Saturated red lights filled the room as members of Daisy Grenade danced across the stage. Right before the third chorus, fans spectating from the second floor watched as the middle of the pit below them opened up in two sections. The chorus dropped and the pit turned into a frenzied area as fans started to excitedly mosh. No Doubt’s “Hella Good” isn’t exactly standard mosh pit material, but it goes to show that Daisy Grenade is defying the genre and can make anything work.
What made the night stand the most was how easily the two commanded the stage. They didn’t need elaborate production or a massive stage to hold attention. Both girls pointed and sang right along with the crowd who did the same right back. They sold their energy with strong facial expressions, mirroring the vibe of each line that was sung. The fans stayed loud from the first song all of the way until the end, feeding the duo more power as the night escalated. Ending the night with their grunge anthem “Riot,” a strong sense of empowerment hung in the air like every person was feeding off of the same energy.
The chemistry, confidence, and sheer intensity carried throughout the entire performance. Inside a venue known for launching indie acts, Daisy Grenade seemed right at home. If the reaction to the band inside Subterranean was any indication that the band will be massively successful, Chicago already knows it. Daisy Grenade left the venue absolutely buzzing. Loud, fearless, and full of attitude, the New York duo is truly one of a kind and projected to have massive success in the punk scene.
Photos and review by Elena James
