It was Weirdthrob release day and Valley Bar was transformed into a kaleidoscope of colors for Mehro’s headlining show in Phoenix. Fans crowded in early to hear the new music live for the first time and to celebrate the weird and wonderful in all of us.
Pop starlet Evie Irie opened the show and had the ladies falling at her feet with her relatable lyrics and cheeky asides. The Australian singer has bottled the early-20-something experience into a series of songs that encapsulate the confusion, heartbreak and hope that come with growing up. That energy, combined with Irie’s sunny smile, won the room and got her newest fans doing their best to sing along. Her set was fun, refreshing and the perfect precursor to the night ahead.
Swirling lights in shades of blue and green accompanied Mehro onstage to start things off with “Sepia Tones” and “Plastic Tires”. The basement venue had filled up by this point and the audience was overjoyed to see Mehro and his amazing band headlining once again. Dressed in his own tour merch in celebration of the album’s release, Mehro let his vocals wander much higher than the low ceilings of Valley Bar- drawing cheers from the younger fans and impressed nods from the parents who brought them there.
While Mehro’s stage presence could arguably be called melancholy or even mysterious, he is charming and goofy between songs. He spoke directly to the fans at several intervals, started a compliment train mid-set and shouted out special friends who’d made their way to Phoenix for the show. All of this only endeared him to the crowd more and they joined him in singing “Not Alone” and “Dying in a Dream”. Each band member also got a turn in the spotlight, garnering huge applause from the room throughout the set.
As the night drew to a close, Mehro’s crew appeared onstage in plush costumes to dance along to the driving guitars of “Sex Fiend” before Mehro brought the main set to an end with “Lifesaver”. He teased the audience by leaving the stage for only a split second before returning for an encore of “Chance with You” and “You’re So Pretty”. The venue was bathed in dizzying whorls of patterns and colors which were as mesmerizing as Mehro’s voice throughout the set. Eager fans lined up right after the final notes for the chance to snag a Weirdthrob shirt to commemorate another amazing night with Mehro.
