Splitshft Brings Atmospheric Heaviness to The Charleston

Two people headbang in the crowd while Splitshft performs onstage at The Charlston in Bremerton

I headed out to Bremerton on September 4th to photograph Splitshft at The Charleston, a small, gritty venue I had never been to before.

The energy was already building before the band played their first note. As Splitshft worked through soundcheck, people gathered near the stage, shouted “Let’s go!” and got ready to two-step. Once the set actually started, people immediately started moving.

Splitshft may have been opening the night, but this definitely wasn't a crowd waiting around for the later bands.

Vocalist and guitarist Alex was constantly moving. He jumped, headbanged, and regularly disappeared behind his long blond hair. At one point, he dropped to his knees at the front of the stage and screamed face-to-face with people in the crowd.

Splitshft’s vocalist Alex kneeling on the stage in front of the crowd.

Those were some of my favorite moments to photograph because there really wasn't a boundary between the performance and the people watching it. The crowd became part of what was happening. I love the community surrounding heavy music and the connection that live music can create, and this was one of those shows where you could actually see it happening.

The rest of Splitshft brought that same energy. Bassist Cole moved around the stage while delivering the unclean vocals, new guitarist Austin looked completely confident during his first show with the band, and drummer Levi held everything together behind them. The members fed off each other throughout the set and, more importantly, looked like they were genuinely having fun playing together.

Splitshft blends the atmospheric haze of shoegaze with the urgency and heaviness of post-hardcore. Their songs move between strong melodies, distortion, heavy riffs, and screamed vocals without losing the dreamy quality underneath it all.

And live, that combination makes you want to move.

People two-stepped, headbanged, and pushed closer to the stage throughout the set. The Charleston made everything feel even more intimate, with the band onstage one moment and the crowd moving only a few feet away the next. Deep washes of red and green light, occasionally interrupted by bursts of white, added to the gritty atmosphere of the room.

One of the most memorable moments came during “St. Pete’s.”

Alex dedicated the slower song to a late friend, removed his guitar, and focused entirely on singing. After so much movement and heavier energy, the change was immediately noticeable. The crowd settled down and gave the song room to breathe.

It was a genuinely beautiful moment!

Then it was right back into the chaos.

By the final song, Austin and Cole apparently decided to keep the audience on their toes and swapped instruments and sides of the stage. It was unexpected, fun, and perfectly fitting for a performance that had barely stopped moving.

For only five songs, Splitshft packed a lot into their set: heavy moments, dreamy ones, an emotional change of pace during “St. Pete’s,” an instrument swap, and a whole lot of movement.

What I loved most, though, was the connection between the band and the people who showed up for them. The crowd was ready before Splitshft played their first note, and the band gave that energy right back.

Getting to stand a few feet away and photograph shows never gets old. I love immersing myself in the Washington music scene. Thanks to Splitshft and The Charleston for having me!