Chew’s last Bay area gig was three years ago, a month before a covid vaccine was even available. At the time, promoters wrote that anyone who wore a mask would win a prize, but a lot’s changed since then. For starters, about 80,000 have died in Florida after contracting the disease.

There’s also yet another new variant floating around, but the Atlanta band still plays a potent amalgamation of psych-rock and experimental-electro this weekend. A familiar local outfit—Highway Advisory Radio, which played alongside Chew at that 2020 Mermaid Tavern show—opens once again.

Tickets to see Chew play Hooch and Hive in Tampa on Sunday, Sept. 3 are still available for $10-$13.