The Birthday Massacre at First Ave

The Birthday Massacre hit First Avenue on February 2 with a loud, frenzied, high-energy set that felt relentless in the best way. From the floor, the show was all momentum—thick guitars, driving rhythms, and a crowd that stayed fully engaged from start to finish.

One thing that stood out immediately was the lighting. Whether by design or coincidence, the stage lived almost entirely in shades of purple, with very little shift in color throughout the set. For the audience experience, it worked. The look matched the band’s aesthetic and helped lock the room into a single mood. From a photographer’s standpoint, though, it meant limited visual variety—strong moments, but fewer opportunities for contrast across the frame.

Musically, the set landed hard, though my experience was slightly altered thanks to a new pair of concert earplugs. The high end took a hit, and vocals were harder to make out than expected. That’s not a knock on the band at all—more a reminder that I may need to rethink how (or when) I use them, especially in rooms like First Ave where clarity and volume are already walking a fine line.

Still, the energy never dipped, and the band clearly knew how to work the room. The attached gallery captures the intensity, motion, and atmosphere of the night—even if everything lived in purple.