Being the frontwoman of a band that has been touring the world for the last fourteen years, it’s no surprise that Lauren Mayberry knows how to take ownership of a stage regardless of the size—which was especially the case last night at Webster Hall. I caught Mayberry’s second-ever solo show in 2023 at Music Hall of Williamsburg, and being a big CHVRCHES fan, it’s been exciting to see her solo career take shape over the last year and a half, celebrating the release of her debut album, Vicious Creature.

The opener, Cult of Venus, set the stage with only herself, a guitar, and a keyboard. Her music was so big and room-filling that it sounded like a whole backing band was there with her. I’m excited to give her new single “Algorithm,”, released today.

Shortly after, Mayberry took the stage with “Crocodile Tears” with a flair of theatrics as she used an old rotary phone to emphasize the first line of the song—”You pick up the phone to start a chain reaction.” These theatrics were a recurring theme throughout the night as Lauren played through her album. My favorite part was when she used a megaphone with a built-in flashlight that beamed through the stage fog to search around the venue during an extended intro for “Something In The Air.” This was a nod to the song’s bridge where she’s “screaming through a red, a white, a blue megaphone.”

Anyone who has seen Mayberry perform live before knows to expect plenty of playful stage banter between songs. There was plenty of that throughout the night as Lauren playfully commented on Americans’ aversion to the word ‘c*nt,’ joked about returning a stage prop because it came with a picture of Tr*mp, and expressed how special playing this show and venue was to her, having spent a few years living in New York.

It was a memorable night for many in the crowd, as longtime fans of Mayberry gathered for the show. She reflected on how nice it was to see fans who had attended a CHVRCHES concert twelve years ago now returning with their children. That sense of connection was evident, especially as couples in the audience drew closer during slower songs like “Are You Awake?”, “Oh, Mother”, and a cover of The Verve’s “Bittersweet Symphony.”

Photos and Words by Bobby Nicholas III
@bobbograph on Instagram

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