After chatting with Hello Mary earlier this week, I have been eagerly awaiting their takeover of the iconic Troubadour. The three-piece rock band embarked on their first headlining tour just a few days prior, right after a successful stint of shows with American Football and julie. If you love American Football’s mathy, indie rock sound or julie’s grunge, shoegaze tracks, Hello Mary might just be your next underground favorite.
As the band takes the stage, drummer/singer Stella Wave darts ahead to shake hands with fans in the audience, thanking each of us graciously for coming out. Helena Straight (guitar, vocals) and Mikaela Oppenheimer (bass) follow behind her, taking their places and launching into the first track, “Float,” off their latest record, Emita Ox. The song is slow and dreamy, featuring haunting vocals by Wave and Straight. Their effortless harmonizing is captivating, as is Wave’s ability to sing smoothly while drumming, which continues to impress me throughout the show. Following “Float” is “Stinge,” a moody track off Hello Mary’s self-titled album. “Stinge” leans more toward hard rock with its fuzzy guitar and crashing drums. The two opening songs to Hello Mary’s set effectively encapsulate their range as a band, from more mellow, shoegazey harmonies to distorted, heavy rock tracks. Emita Ox celebrates this dichotomy, documenting the evolution of the girls’ sound and friendship through an assortment of songs spanning five years.
“Why is it you leave / Just as it gets fun? / Admit they were right / When they said I should run”
“Stinge”
Other setlist highlights include “Footstep Misstep,” an upbeat, mathy track with overlapping harmonies. Slower tracks like “Heavy Sleeper” feature soft vocals distorted through mics that add another unique layer to their sound. As exemplified by “Down My Life,” their lyrics are often thought-provoking while still maintaining a simplicity that emphasizes their impressive, melodic instrumentals.
“Watch me burn / Down my life in a night / Let it fade, truth resolves / Rest my eyes”
“Down My Life”
They close the show with “Knowing You,” an impassioned ballad about heartbreak that has become my personal favorite off the new record. Emita Ox feels like a love letter to Hello Mary’s past and future discography, and their growth both as a band and as individuals from their teens to early 20s is captivating to witness through this record.
Listen to the setlist here!
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