Lauren Mayberry really is that girl.
The CHVRCHES frontwoman released her debut solo album, Vicious Creature, in December and hit the road earlier this year, stopping at Phoenix’s Crescent Ballroom to play it in full.
“It’s everyone’s worst fucking nightmare,” she jokes about her solo project, for the vocalist to strike out on their own. But even the negative cliche didn’t stop fans — of her or of the band — from packing the venue and determinedly capturing every moment she was on stage.
Before her set, though, Cult of Venus delivered an opener of bold, otherworldly electronic tracks. She captivated the audience so thoroughly that there was near silence between songs, aside from the shy, “You’re amazing!” shouted from afar. With no-holds-barred lyrics about modern times feeling dystopian, Cult of Venus is just as much a vicious creature as her tour mate.
Lauren Mayberry soon arrived on stage in a toga-style dress and (what we learned was a fan-made) crown, looking every bit like a Statue of Liberty who had something to say. And say she did, taking shots at music industry sexism (“Change Shapes”) and the political climate (“Something in the Air,” performed with a megaphone), just to name a few. She’s opinionated but never comes off as bitter, and she’s dancing through it all, twirling across the stage.
As expected, Mayberry’s voice is still a force of nature, and she can still command a room. But over the years, she’s gotten noticeably more comfortable on stage, and her commentary is genuinely funny. She has mastered making a sizable crowd (500ish in Phoenix) feel like an intimate gathering with inside jokes and fun stories. It makes sense; it’s an established community with over 12 years of history, and we’ve all grown up together.
That’s what made the “encore” (Mayberry and her live band walked just far enough from the stage and immediately turned around) feel so celebratory — despite everything, music is still bringing people together.
