As the sun started to set, concert-goers came in groups adorned with accessories like chains and sunglasses. Most were in black outfits, platform boots, leather pants and some even sported liberty spikes. Every now and then, those close enough could hear sound checks from both Cowgirl Clue and Enjoy. With booming bass and twangy guitars, many eagerly pressed their ears against the space between the doors.
If you are not a fan of either, you might want to check them out. Enjoy is one of many side projects that Wyatt Shears of The Garden created in 2011. Since then, Shears has performed in various parts of California and is now in the middle of a U.S. tour. This is also his first time performing in San Antonio as Enjoy. Cowgirl Clue, real name Ashley Clue, is an artist hailing from Austin, Texas, but she now resides in California alongside Shears. Together, they are part of a musical collective called Vada Vada that incorporates many different sounds and sometimes collaborates with each other.
When it was time to be let into the venue, excited screams filled the air as fans made it to the front of the main stage with many girls jumping up and down, big smiles plastered across their faces. At 8:15 p.m., the lights dimmed and shouts erupted in anticipation of the opener, Cowgirl Clue.
With her glamorous aura and fashionable outfits, Cowgirl Clue is always a treat to see live. She was accompanied by a drummer and soon into the set, a guitarist. She engaged with the audience throughout the entire performance and, despite technical difficulties with her microphone, kept singing and moved on without a hitch. If you are lucky and know the words to her songs, you might share a moment or two with her to sing together on the mic or just share eye contact and smiles. The crowd jumped around to the EDM beats from her newest album, “Rodeo Star.” After her eclectic performance, we said our goodbyes and waited once more. The room was noticeably warmer and the stagehands tossed water bottles at the crowd, sometimes even pelting people in the head by accident.
As the clock ticked closer to 9:30 p.m., the crowd started to push closer to the stage and restless energy buzzed in the air. After a close call with someone being sick and another person fainting, the crowd smushed even closer. Finally, the lights dimmed once more and phones were brought out to capture Enjoy’s towering 6-foot-1 frame. Screams of every pitch started to get louder and almost promised tinnitus on their own.
Soon after, Enjoy and his band made their way to the stage, and the first song “Mist” was eagerly played. It was not long before the crowd’s sweat flew through the air and friends were separated as crowd surfers made their way to and from the stage. Most songs of the set were from his newest album, “Exploited.” The classic Enjoy bass twang as he calls it rang through the air as some struggled to stay upright. Older songs like “Small Car, Big Wheels” proved to be fan favorites as the crowd yelled practically every word.
Throughout the whole set, a few especially eager people who had made their way from the farthest sides of the stage pushed the front row in hopes of moshing, much to the discontent of their surroundings. Failed attempts at stage diving were taken as a challenge as people flew back into the sea of hands to get eventually dropped again. Friends also picked each other up onto their shoulders and bobbed around. Exploded water bottles splashed, and phones flung around as people slammed into each other. The band gave it their all as the fast tempos picked up, never missing a beat. At the end of the set, an encore was loudly demanded and eventually played.
“Exploited” took a different direction from Shears’ usual sound and it was reflected in the room. While some could have behaved better, seeing Enjoy was a memorable experience that not many will get to experience as he has been known to frequent parts of California for his show venues.
