As we navigate through seas of cowboy hats, maxi skirts, and baggy tops, I can tell that we are at a Mitski concert. Teens and young adults everywhere are giddy for the show to begin, conglomerating in friend groups, lining up at the extremely long wait for merch, and anxiously fidgeting in their seats as they eagerly await the big act.
Even though she blew up on TikTok for songs such as “Nobody” and “My Love Mine All Mine”, the alternative performer has been a force in the music industry since her 2012 debut, Lush. With her discography ranging from dreamy vocals to all-out screaming about heartbreak, Mitski has become a haven for indie sad girls around the world. Tonight, Mitski is performing songs from her newest release, The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We, an album filled with country and folk influences, joining the many artists performing in the indie twang space.
Soon, it’s time to sit down for the opener, Julia Jacklin. Jacklin appears lit up in all her glory as she steps onto center stage with her guitar. She first performs, “Too in Love to Die”, a song off of her latest album Pre-Pleasure. Her hallowing vocals echo throughout the Shrine, with no one daring to speak. The crowd cheers as she sings the last verse and finally introduces herself to us as Julia Jacklin. I listen intently as she talks about her experiences opening for Mitski, and all of the concert memories that they hold together. After the crowd settles back down, Jacklin performs more off of her other albums, with classics such as “to Perth, before the Border closes” and “Pressure to Party”, her first song to go viral. She also performs a revitalized cover of “Shivers” by The Boys Next Door. Throughout her performance, Jacklin ebbs and flows through notes of love to the aches of heartbreak whilst strumming her guitar and crooning out her declarations.
When it’s finally time for the main act, the sold out, 6,000-person venue erupts in thunderous applause as Mitski slowly walks onstage to “Everyone”. The 33-year-old musician appears unassuming at first, looking small relative to the enormity of the Shrine and donning a simple white tee with pants, but her performance is truly larger-than-life. Her ethereal voice and devastating lyrics quickly summon goosebumps on my arms and tears in my eyes that will remain for the entirety of this memorable show.
Over the course of the night, Mitski touches on her recent albums, The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We and Laurel Hell, as well as hits from her earlier records, making sure to please every fan in the audience. I soon notice how Mitski utilizes the entire stage as elements in her performance. The seven-person band around her elevates the sounds of her iconic, older tracks (like “Nobody” and “Washing Machine Heart”) and transforms beloved songs into new, folk-inspired renditions, their plethora of instruments filling the room. Folk is a key element in Mitski’s most recent album, as well as tonight’s show. The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We stands in contrast from the rest of her discography for exactly this; the iconic folk influences, highlighted particularly by the omnipresent pedal-steel guitar (among other traditional string instruments), are the latest venture in the ever-changing tides of Mitski’s creative genius.
Light is a powerful symbol in Mitski’s lyricism and live performances, and is the most prominent motif of the night. The contrast between light and dark, yin and yang, love and loss is an often repeated analogy in Mitski’s poignant writing.
“That’s our lamp / It shines like a big moon / We may be ending / I’m standing in the dark / Looking up into our room / Where you’ll be waiting for me”
“That’s Our Lamp”
However, her live performance takes this symbol to the next level, as a variety of visual effects transform light into a tangible idea right before our eyes. During “Heaven”, Mitski waltzes across the stage, caressing the beam of a single spotlight as one would hold a dance partner. In “I Don’t Like My Mind”, Mitski is confined to a small platform by several spotlights, caging her in like the vertical bars of a jail cell, just as Mitski feels trapped, a victim to her own mind.
“I don’t like my mind, I don’t like being left alone in a room /
“I Don’t Like My Mind”
With all its opinions about the things that I’ve done”
During TikTok hit “My Love Mine All Mine”, shards of broken mirrors float down from the ceiling, surrounding Mitski and illuminating the theater with dappled light. Throughout her performance, light acts as Mitski’s entertaining counterpart, whether as a dance partner, a barrier, a weapon, or the manifestation of love itself.
Mitski’s iconic setlist truly comes to life in person, as interpretive dance elevates her evocative lyricism to another level I didn’t even think was possible. During “I Bet on Losing Dogs”, a heartbreaking ode to Mitski’s self-destructive tendency to fall in love with those who are destined to destroy her, she crawls around the stage and pants like a dog until she collapses onto the floor, playing dead. Like a dog with an abusive owner, Mitski earnestly dedicates her unconditional love to the wrong people, failing to realize that they will keep hurting her over and over again. Conversely, her movements also bring new meaning to her songs; a reimagined folk version of “I Don’t Smoke” becomes deeply ironic, as Mitski sings “So if you need to be mean / Be mean to me” with a wide grin and theatrical dance moves over an upbeat symphony.
As I prepare to leave the Shrine, I can’t shake the feeling that this was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Mitski has been a bucket list performer for me for years now, and I deeply recommend that anyone make the trip to witness her otherworldly talents in person.
