Warming up the evening at the Orpheum Theatre in Boston, MA on Friday, April 26th, Good Morning brought their surf-rock/shoegaze inspired sound from the southern coast of Australia to the Bay State. Humming through soft melodies and delicate riffs, Good Morning delivered a well-received set as the crowd filtered in to support a nearly sold-out show for Katie Crutchfield’s Waxahatchee.
Polished and powerful are the first two words that come to mind when attempting to describe the captivating presence Waxahatchee established over their hour-and-a-half set. Touring in support of their latest release Tigers Blood (March 22nd, 2024) on ANTI-, Waxahatchee wound through their three most recent albums – with a few selections off Crutchfield’s collaboration with friend/musician Jess Williamson and their project Plains. Opening with 3 Sisters, Waxahatchee made it clear that they were there to play their songs, and play them well. With little banter other than the obligatory greeting and eventual band introductions – song for song – Crutchfield filled the Orpheum with her signature twang and catchy melodies. Backed by her five-piece band and a set design evocative of a 1970’s late-night bandstand show, the crowd made sure to offer their appreciation between songs.
With a twenty-four song setlist, Crutchfield brough the audience through the highs and lows of her delicate songwriting and storytelling. As the band delivered an intense opening with songs like Evil Spawn, Ice Cold, and Can’t Do Much they helped slow the audience down with the soft touch of The Eye and the southern, banjo-fueled flourishes of Right Back To It. Throughout the night Waxahatchee found a steady rhythm of fast and slow. Keeping pace, she lulled the crowd through the heartbreak, hope, and themes of painstaking self-awareness that often run through her lyrics. With the Lucinda Williams inspired sound of Crowbar, a few audience members could be found standing in their seats, bopping along, mouthing the lyrics, and tapping their feet. Closing out with the quiet grace of the title track off Tiger’s Blood, the band hardly left the stage before audience members rose to a standing ovation that lasted until the house lights came up after their four-set encore.
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