Nashville fans were treated to an intimate show when CHVRCHES’ lead singer, Lauren Mayberry, brought her solo headlining tour to The Mil.
Last December, Lauren Mayberry released her solo album Vicious Creatures. The album received praise from critics and fans alike, and with CHVRCHES on a temporary hiatus, Mayberry opened her first American solo tour late last month.
Joining Mayberry on the tour was Cult Of Venus, who opened the show. The one-woman project started the evening with a performance that relied heavily on synth-wave-style melodies mixed with the occasional guitar riff. Her sound, combined with dark and occasional strobe lighting, was eerily reminiscent of a scene from a futuristic sci-fi movie if the main characters ventured into a nightclub.
That mood may have been intentional, and in some of her songs, the lyrics seemed like warnings about society and the future. The most notable of those lyrics came in her final and newest song, “Algorithm.” During the track, Cult Of Venus sang the chorus, “Another rabbit hole, subvert my soul, out there watching me, the thought police.” It made for a thought-provoking set, which the Nashville crowd certainly appreciated.
It was interesting to see the contrast in delivery styles between the acts as Lauren Mayberry opened her set with her single “Crocodile Tears.” While the song features a catchy chorus and exudes a pop sound, the lyrics have a different tone, one that screams, “F*** the patriarchy!”While Mayberry presented a quirky personality, she also had an underlying seriousness as she made sure to get her message and views across. During the first two songs, Mayberry came out in a large coat, before tossing that to the side, unveiling a t-shirt that read, “I just want to say if you are trans and reading this I love you & so do all of my mates.” It was an unspoken moment that certainly let the audience know where she stands – just in case somebody in attendance didn’t already know.
Then there was a moment with a more direct approach to politics, as she told a story before performing her track, “Something In The Air.” Mayberry states in the song’s lyrics, “screaming through a red, a white, a blue megaphone.” Trying to be literal, she ordered a red, white, and blue megaphone, only to open and find promotional materials for President Donald Trump.
“The scream that I screamed,” Mayberry said somewhat jokingly, as the crowd booed the mention of Trump. “I was worried that the internet would think I was a certain kind of person.” She quickly exchanged that for a black megaphone with a flashlight attached which she showed off during the performance.
Politics didn’t dominate the whole show. One of the more humorous moments of the night came when Mayberry told the story of a terrible date that she had in Nashville. After meeting her date at a local dive, she was quickly abandoned before being rescued by a close friend.
“At one point, he (her date) saw his friends, and he went and joined his friends and never came back. At first, I was just sitting there and asked myself how long do I wait before it gets tragic?” Mayberry jokingly asked. “How boring must I have been being that somebody drove all the way to the date, and during the date was like ‘f***!’ It certainly didn’t do wonders for the self-esteem. When in doubt though, just call your gay best friend and they’ll come and make it a better night.”
Those quirky moments and relatable stories helped her build a genuine connection with the Nashville crowd. Her performance lasted a little over an hour, but through her storytelling, the show felt much shorter. Before leaving, Mayberry mentioned CHVRCHES, stating, “We need to get things together and put out another album,” as the crowd cheered loudly. “I’ll pass that up the phone bank.”
Whether with CHVRCHES or on her own, it’s clear that Nashville is ready for Mayberry to return to Music City soon.
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