The four-piece rock band Quarters of Change is back on tour, and they’ve landed in D.C.
Hailing from New York City, Quarters of Change made their beginnings as a cover band in 2017. Consisting of members Ben Acker, Attila Anrather, Jasper Harris and Ben Roter, the rock quartet has developed a unique sound. Now, the band is playing sold out shows throughout North America on the 2023 “Quarters of Change Deluxe Tour ” alongside opening band, late night drive home.
The tour kicked off with its first sold out show at Union Stage in Washington., where fans anxiously awaited the band’s performance. The room came to life at 8 p.m. with a quick set from opening band late night drive home, who performed angsty love anthems such as “Stress Relief” and “Star Love.”
The lights dimmed just after 9 p.m., fans stirring with excitement for the rock group to make their entrance. Quarters of Change opened the first night of their headline tour with the bold rhythms of their song “Jaded,” followed by the upbeat and rousing “Chloe” and electric riffs of “Kiwi.”
For fan Constanza Candia, her love for the band was unexpected. After meeting the group before a Bad Suns show in October, where they were openers, she became a fan after hearing the group perform. Six months after watching them as an opening act in Baltimore, she stood in the Washington crowd watching the band headline their own tour.
“[The meeting] was completely accidental,” Candia said. “I just loved their set a lot and fell in love with their songs and just personalities.”
The band’s 60-minute set closed out with the fan favorite, “Rift,” the song for which their 2022 album “Into the Rift” was named. Lead singer Ben Roter joined the crowd on the floor during the finale, snapping photos with fans’ disposable cameras and drawing a surge of bodies to the center of the room. Loyola student and Quarters of Change mega-fan Gabriel Gomez was even able to hug the band’s lead singer, calling it the best moment of the show.
“It shows that he likes to interact with his fans, which is really important to me.” Gomez said. “It shows that they really care.”
After the band bid their final goodbyes, tossing guitar picks and drumsticks to the still-lively audience, fans steadily made their way toward the merch tables. Outside, groups of friends posed for pictures with their t-shirts and posters, hoping to catch a glimpse of the acts leaving the venue.
University of Maryland freshman, Veronica Ingold, was introduced to the band through a friend of hers with their song “Kiwi.” After delving further into the band’s discography, buying tickets to the Washington show was the next step. Her spot in the middle of the crowd gave her the perfect blend of sights and sounds.
“We had…a really good kind of setup for it,” Ingold said.
UMD sophomore, Beyza Gul, a sophomore at this university, particularly favored the band’s performance of “Chloe,” finding an appreciation for the big “ups and downs” of their electric riffs.
The “Quarters of Change Deluxe Tour” consists of over 20 stops from coast to coast, including four festival dates. As dates continue to sell out, Washington fans made it clear they’ll be back to see their favorite band.
“Overall, the vibes were just really fun and nice,” Gul said.