the matches 20 year anniversary of e. von dahl killed the locals at the Fillmore / san francisco, ca

The Matches returned to The Fillmore with the kind of energy that made it feel like no time had passed at all. The first songs of the set came straight from their debut album, fast, loud, and full of heart immediately setting the floor in motion. By the time fan favourite Chain Me Free hit, the crowd was bouncing, the air thick with nostalgia and sweat.

The band’s setlist struck a perfect balance between chaos and calm, weaving slower tracks between the high-energy anthems to let both the crowd and the band catch their breath. There were no guitar swaps or elaborate setups, just The Matches, tuning their own instruments and keeping it simple. Between songs, the group traded light banter and stories about their early days working in the venue’s kitchen, filling the small pauses with laughter and memories.

Their performance wasn’t pristine, but it didn’t need to be. What mattered was the connection. Every song from E. Von Dahl Killed the Locals reignited that teenage spark. Fans jumping, shouting, and singing until their voices broke. It was pure muscle memory; the body just knew what to do.

As the set built, the crowd only grew wilder. Fans surfed above the pit, and frontman Shawn Harris waded into the crowd, walking across raised hands in a moment of pure nostalgia. His dynamic with guitarist Jon Devoto was as electric as ever, the two trading glances, grins, and unspoken stories through the lyrics.

The night leaned heavily on the band’s first two albums, with a few gems from A Band in Hope, including a standout Wake the Sun. When the band briefly left the stage, the audience’s chants brought them back for an encore featuring Salty Eyes, a surprise cover of Where Is My Mind?, and their long-time closer Sick Little Suicide.

It was a night of nostalgia and noise, a celebration of a band that built a home for the misfits and the outsiders.

Years on, The Matches still know exactly how to make a room come alive.

Review and photos by Cassandra Edwards.