Photos by Rebecca Wimsatt
I tend to remember venues by their ceilings. At The Wiltern, I took in the gold Art Deco sky above me as I listened to Snuggle and Goon, Slow Pulp’s openers. Snuggle made it clear why they fit so well in this lineup. With a similar indie-rock vibe and a complementary shoegaze element, Snuggle is the powerful duo: Andrea Thuesen and Vilhelm Strange.
Shortly after, fog started filling throughout the venue. The band, made up of Alex Leeds, Teddy Mathews, and Henry Stoehr, gathered at their respective positions one by one. Finally, lead singer Emily Massey joined them at the front of the stage. Massey’s spotlight made her appear more like an apparition than a person, with only her vibrant red hair clearly in focus. The fog reflected the same anonymity of their albums’ artwork. Her fluffy, babydoll dress reminded me of common themes in Slow Pulp’s music: childlike whimsy (“Wanna be an astronaut and get out of here” from the song “Mud”) and new beginnings (“Crash into me, I need a new start” from the song “Red Car”).
Massey seemed to read my mind when she said, “We’re so excited to be in this gorgeous venue.” Later, she told the crowd that they had played The Wiltern before, opening for Alvvays. She admitted, “We didn’t think we’d be able to headline a venue like this.”
Slow Pulp started their set with the first single off their new record, Melodie, “Better Man.” Immediately, they sounded just as good live, if not better. The beat had everyone moving, varying from a light sway to a full bop. While many seem to know Massey for her soft, angelic voice, it was her ability to belt that stood out to me. She opened her arms, the fan’s wind catching her red hair, and, unafraid, she let go.
One of my most anticipated songs of the night, “Slip Away,” began with a hypnotizing guitar in a tuning I had never heard before. She sang, “I heard that there was hell to pay / But I still did it anyway.” During the chorus, she absolutely crushed, yelling “And everything feels easy / When I forget that everything is different / When it’s over / Then I slip away.” Ironically, during this same song, she sang to a dead-silent crowd who was clearly stunned by her intense performance. Julia rightfully commented: “There is pain in her belts.”
Slow Pulp played a total of twenty songs, including most of Melodie and hits from their past records, Moveys and Yard. My view was slightly obstructed by a guy wearing a large-brimmed hat with a feather. Honestly, I wasn’t mad; it felt fitting. I enjoyed watching his hat dance up and down as the band played my song of the summer, “Slugs” (“You’re a summer hit / I’m singing it”).
Watching these musicians play together, I couldn’t help but think: this is a band. Slow Pulp has played together since 2017. On “Yellow and Green,” four of the five band members played guitar, an impressive arrangement to pull off with no bass or keys. This band is more than individual people playing instruments; they are one unified force. I left with a similar feeling. Their last song was the 2018 single “At Home.” The whole crowd chanted with the band, “Should I try all over again?” I could tell we all left with a unifying thought: “I wish we could do it all over again.”
Listen to Melodie here!
