Photo by Addison Farris

On the second night of their 29-city tour, indie-rock band, Cryogeyser, brought their set to The Lodge Room.

With its iconic archway hanging over the stage, The Lodge room is known to be a key stepping stone for many artists who move through LA. —located right in the heart of Highland Park, the venue houses almost every event imaginable. From indie bands to DJs, and most recently the Southern California Battle of the Bands Contest, The Lodge room offers musical variety, creating the perfect space for Cryogeyser to start their tour. 

Entering the venue, the crowd was electric, and you could hear the room buzz with excitement as you walked up the stairs to the venue. This being Cryogeysers hometown show, the space was filled with fans, friends, and family, counting down the minutes before the band hit the stage. The chatter of old friends reuniting and fans forging connections through music carried throughout the room. As anticipation rose, you couldn't help but feel like a little kid on a road trip asking the time-old question “are we there yet?” Patiently waiting for bands to hit the stage.

To give their LA show that extra punch, Cryogeyser added a surprise guest to their lineup, fulfilling every fan's dream. The addition of a solo set from Wednesday brought the audience to life. With her bedazzled guitar, Wednesday front-runner Karly Hartzman, delivered an enchanting solo set, introducing us to unreleased songs and bringing back the band's cult classics. As fans aided Hartzman in remembering the lyrics to “Bath County”, the audience was able to perk up their ears and bask in a fresh Wednesday set, a pleasure the West Coast does not get often. 

After Hartzman said her goodbyes, Cryogeyser was quick to fill her space on stage. As soon as the band walked on, it all felt amazingly casual, exactly how a hometown show should be. Cryogeyser lead singer, Shawn Marom, spoke to the audience as if she was talking to an old friend, making sure to call out the people in the audience who helped make the album or aid the band in any way. She pointed directly to her mother, who stood near the stage, and locked eyes with her as she sang a song about their relationship. It made the homecoming performance feel profoundly personal and intimate.

Opening the set with the words, “This song isn’t about Marie, but it’s for Marie,” Marom went through the show with comfortable ease, filling the space in between each song with joyous laughter. 

As the show progressed, members of the audience could be seen joining in a collective sway, getting lost in the melodic guitar riffs and hypnotic lyrics of Cryogeyser. 

But it wasn't until the end of their set that the crowd truly came alive. As the opening chords of Cryogeyser’s song “Leach” began to play, the whole crowd erupted into cheers. A song off their 2019 album “Glitch”, “Leach” has remained a fan-favorite. Members of the audience could be seen slow dancing and kissing as the song played out, bringing a new character to the crowd. 

The show closed with cheers and hugs amongst both the band and audience members, and Marom expressed her gratitude to the crowd: “You never think anybody cares until somebody cares.”

1 APRIL 2025