Witchz: Enter Afterlife Concert Review, SOMA San Diego
“Welcome to the afterlife.”
Those were the words that opened the show for Witchz at SOMA San Diego. Small and intimate is the best way to describe the night, and thanks to a secondhand invite from my sister, I am really glad I showed up to experience it.
I was going in about as blind as you could possibly be. When I looked at the bill, well, there really was not one. It was simply the artist himself, which made me curious about how the night would unfold. I will say this though, disappointing is the last word I would use.
The crowd that gathered at SOMA was small, with plenty of space for dancing and conversation between fans. People of all ages and styles filled the room, almost like a potluck of personalities. The night began with a DJ set from a mysterious figure dressed in a red hood. I am always open to a little mystery, so I thought this was pretty cool. They spun some genuinely great bangers while everyone waited for Witchz to appear.
It felt like a rave without the traditional rave setting, which honestly worked in its favor. My love for EDM definitely sits deep in my roots, so the vibe immediately clicked with me. After about thirty minutes of shaking hips and bobbing heads, it was finally time.
Witchz stepped out and I have to say, the performance was extremely entertaining. Between his eclectic dance moves, unique and attention grabbing vocals, and intense visuals that changed with every single song, the whole set kept the audience locked in. He played for about an hour and twenty minutes, taking very few breaks throughout the performance, which honestly deserves some serious respect.
Between groups of songs, short cinematic clips would play on the screen. In the videos, he was shown wandering through the Grand Canyon, almost like little story interludes tying the show together. It gave both the crowd and the artist a moment to breathe before diving right back into the music.
And the music definitely gets people going. Honestly, more than I expected.
At one point I realized I was standing in the middle of about four couples, all completely locked into their own little worlds. I almost felt like I was interrupting something. Watching his music spark that kind of emotion between people was fascinating though. From an outside perspective, it is actually pretty cool to see an artist have that kind of power over a room.
While the side of the stage I stood on leaned more toward grooving and swaying, the opposite side was clearly the hype section of the crowd. That side was jumping and fully sending it. I probably should have wandered over there at some point, but honestly I had a great vantage point watching my sister enjoy the show right up front.
The setlist itself flowed really well. It was a long list of shorter songs that kept the energy constantly moving. Some of the tracks even carried a surprisingly heavy metal edge, which added a darker punch to the overall sound. One of the standout moments for me was his cover of Smells Like Teen Spirit. I will admit I am a little biased there, but it hit perfectly in the live setting.
He also performed a newer track called The Dose, which ended up being another highlight of the night. This song was one that I recognized, and hearing it live was a big WOW. Absolutely captivating. Instantly adding to my playlist once I got into the car. This track is newer like I said and you can definitely sense a bit of evolution here, even as someone who isn’t familiar with the artist. With new songs came older songs, which no surprise made the crowd really excited, and honestly I can see the hype around this artist, and it makes sense why his career is smooth sailing. I hope to see him take an even bigger stage down the line!
Beyond the music itself, Witchz made an effort to connect with the crowd. He reached out to fans, touched hands near the barricade, and spent time talking with people during the meet and greet. Throughout the night he thanked the audience repeatedly, showing a lot of appreciation for the smaller but passionate turnout.
The visuals throughout the show also went absolutely crazy. Every song had its own aesthetic, which helped build the darker, almost cinematic atmosphere that surrounds his sound. Pair that with some solid merch options and a well run VIP experience, and it felt like a very intentional production despite the intimate size of the room.
Overall, the show was incredibly entertaining. After the performance I ended up watching a few interviews with Witchz, and learning that he creates everything from scratch himself honestly raised my respect for him even more. Being able to craft such a unique and powerful sound independently is pretty impressive.
Hearing his music casually in my sister’s car is one thing.
Seeing it live is something completely different.
Safe to say the experience converted me. I guess you could say I am officially a fan now.
If you are looking for something that feels like an EDM or drum and bass rave but with a darker edge and a more intimate crowd connection, catching Witchz live at SOMA is absolutely worth it. His tour is not over so I urge people to check it out!
