Last year, Lauren Mayberry stepped out from Chvrches to release her debut solo album Vicious Creatures. While in the past solo albums have gotten a bad rap, something Mayberry seemed very aware of and called out during her show at Thalia Hall, nowadays they are way better than one would expect. This is an understatement when it comes to Mayberry's debut, which synthesizes all her best talents in a pristine dozen songs that range from softly devastating to unbelievably danceable jams.
The night started out with a quick set from Cult of Venus, who was shrouded in mystery as they came to the stage and seemingly created music out of thin air. Accompanied by a guitar, drum pads, and some synths, Cult of Venus really captured everyone's attention with some darkly luring electronic tracks that set the mood for the evening
Everything seemed to be on a heated pace as Lauren Mayberry's set came very quickly after Cult of Venus' set. Emerging from the side stage and standing dead center of the stage with a flowing blue curtain as a background, Mayberry picked up a bright red phone and set the night on an incredibly fun course with "Crocodile Tears" and "Changing Shapes" back to back. The dancy vibe went off with out a hitch. The two singles paired nicely especially as Mayberry danced and posed around the stage with all the confidence in the world.
Mayberry's set was a pretty short one, lasting only an hour. However this was expected considering she only has one solo album, Vicious Creatures, under her belt. The night was solely dedicated to that album and a cover, eschewing any Chvrches tracks. I'm sure some fans would have loved to hear some of those songs but considering how solid her songs are and how well everything flowed there was very little to complain about. Every song off Vicious Creature got its time to shine and did so brilliantly.
While tracks like "Punch Drunk" and "Something in the Air" were undeniable high points in the set, it's hard not to give the crown to the roaring cover of "Bittersweet Symphony". Positioned in the second half of the night, the Verve's iconic track was truly elevated by Mayberry's impassioned performance, belting out the familiar lyrics perfectly. It was such a powerful encapsulation of all Mayberry's talents and truly blew Thalia Hall away.
The encore set itself up perfectly, giving the crowd the two remaining Vicious Creatures their due. First was the soft and tender ode "Oh, Mother", showing off the more interpretive side of Mayberry's songwriting. And as if cued by some of the lyrics of that song, "Sunday Best" followed and ended the night on a brighter tone. "Keep thinking I'll find the beauty in Goodbye" Mayberry sang and everyone felt that line a little bit more that night.
All photos by Julian Ramirez.