With only a small UK tour announced, the most exciting indie-rock trio in the world boygenius made their way to Halifax to blow away 5,500 fans. As it poured with rain, the band poured every ounce of energy into a show where they played every song from their discography.
Opening was southern gothic icon Ethel Cain. Encouraging mass singalongs early with her hit ‘American Teenager’, she powers through a six song set that would be enough to please fans both new and old. Huge instrumental sections stretch a lot of songs over the close to the seven minute mark, however there were no complaints from anyone in the crowd.
After Cain finished there is a short wait before Thin Lizzy’s ‘The Boys Are Back In Town’ makes sure no one in Halifax is asleep. The opening song off boygenius’ debut album The Record kicks things off with the three members appearing on screen from backstage. A grunge guitar duo of ‘$20’ and ‘Satanist’ launch the show before things slow down with ‘Emily I’m Sorry’ and ‘True Blue’.
Based off the opening five songs alone you can instantly tell this a band at the top of their game. ‘Cool About It’ is a jangly folk ballad filled with emotion and is followed by two songs off the debut EP for the first time tonight. ‘Revolution 0’ and ‘Stay Down’ keep you going through every emotion before each band member performs a song off their solo albums.
Lucy Dacus was up first with ‘Please Stay’, which is another showcase of how these three artists can tear you apart with their song writing. Julien Baker takes centre stage to perform ‘Favor’ which was written as a response to Dacus’ ‘Please Stay’ and Bridgers’ ‘Graceland Too’. And unsurprisingly, Phoebe Bridgers followed Baker with a performance of ‘Graceland Too’ to a sea of crying fans.
The tempo is brought up again with an unreleased song called ‘Boyfriends’ with all three members beaming with smiles on stage. Debut EP hit ‘Me and My Dog’ had 5,500 people screaming “I want to be emaciated” at the top of their lungs before Dacus again takes lead on ‘We’re In Love’.
Before performing The Record closer ‘Letter to an Old Poet’, Phoebe Bridgers asks that fans put their phones away for the next song as its personal and she wants to sing it to their faces. Her request was followed and the venue fell silent aside from a few obnoxious people talking. After the emotional rollercoaster of the previous song, all three members blast through their hit ‘Not Strong Enough’ with the whole venue bouncing and singing along.
The encore features the band having lesbian flags thrown at them while they sit to perform ‘Ketchum ID’. The flags are then placed over the mic stands as Julien Baker names Halifax ‘the lesbian capital of the UK’ before the crowd erupt with chants of “gay” which the band love every second of.
Closing with ‘Salt in the Wound’, Baker shreds on guitar while Bridgers and Dacus belt the final lines before ending by kissing and dragging Baker to floor as she finishes her solo. With 22 songs played, the band had put every member of the audience through just about every emotion possible before sending them all home.
The term “supergroup” may be thrown around too loosely, however boygenius firmly belong in the “supergroup” category. With only 18 songs recorded, boygenius are just going to continue to grow. With three band members who are some of the best song writers and performers on the planet, I have no doubt boygenius will be back soon with even more gut wrenching songs to act as lyrical therapy.
