Diane Coffee

Schuba’s // Chicago, IL // April 24, 2019

Psychedelic indie rock meets theatrical vocals and costumes? You can’t miss this tour.

Diane Coffee started his Internet Arms tour super late on a Wednesday night. Ambitious to say the least. But, the venue was filled with die hard fans covered in glitter and sequins, ready to take in the spectacle. Coffee, whose real name is Shaun Fleming has an impressive resume. He had tons of voice acting gigs as a kid, he was the founding drummer of Foxygen, and he used to be a professional skateboarder. For his Schuba’s show, he came onstage in a one-piece latex suit, complete with neon collar and belt and sporting neon yellow hair. During the first song, he hid his face behind a geometric animal mask that glistened in the light. His band wore matching outfits that looked like they were straight out of Burning Man. It would be easy to assume that Coffee and his band rely on the aesthetic, but Coffee’s voice is undeniably powerful. His dramatic flair isn’t superficial; it’s part of the music.

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If you’ve never heard Diane Coffee’s music, imagine that The Flaming Lips and David Bowie had a beautiful queer baby with bravado and theatrical panache. His newest album, Internet Arms, is his first record in over four years, and it’s clearly a project of love and devotion. Coffee’s personal and modern lyrics not only make you dance, but they make you think. As he belted out these lyrics and the band played on, fans started moving closer and closer to the stage, filling in the gaps and making the room feel like a big group of friends. Coffee jumped down off the stage and sang along with his fans, giving everyone that big boost of energy they needed on a Wednesday night.

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Coffee’s tour continues in Ohio before heading to the Northeast. He’s going to be all over the U.S. and Canada, so check for dates here!

Diane Coffee