Mitski brings “Laurel Hell” to Boston’s Roadrunner
August 2, 2022
Following years of inactivity, Japanese-American artist Mitski jumped back into the alternative/indie music scene with the anthem-riddled “Laurel Hell,” an album that can only be described as musically imaginative and lyrically genius. On July 27, accompanied by opening act The Weather Station, Mitski brought “Laurel Hell” to life in Boston, and it was nothing short of brilliant. Mitski is an artist in every sense of the word, and the performance she was able to execute could be placed in a museum without question.
Stepping onto the Roadrunner stage costumed in a green dress and floor-length cloak, Mitski looked as though she harnessed all the confidence in the world while opening the show with “Love Me More,” a personal favorite. The optimistic and vibrant melody from the band completely juxtaposed the desolating lyrics that Mitski belted, but it wouldn’t be her music without tinges of sorrow.
The appeal of an album like “Laurel Hell” is that you can scream your lungs out to lyrics that reflect your haunting inner feelings while maintaining an ebullient sound that can be danced to. Every concertgoer felt the despair that lined the lyrics of songs like “Nobody” and, ironically enough, “Happy,” but it did not make the night dull. No matter how agonizing the lyrics got, the screaming and dancing persisted and filled the room with a liveliness that overshadowed the heartbreak.
Perhaps the most captivating part of the concert was the choreography that Mitski seemed to pull off effortlessly. Whether it was choreographed and rehearsed months in advance or improvised, she looked ethereal doing so and is no doubt a natural performer.
From the audience’s perspective, she was feeling the lyrics and every emotion that came with them rather than just going through the motions. Not a single beat was missed during any of the songs, especially during “Washing Machine Heart,” a fan favorite that had the audience hollering the words back to her. The emotion-packed contemporary dancing, in conjunction with the dramatic music and concert lights, made it feel less like a concert and more like a cinematic experience.
Despite the energy required for jumping, kicking, and punching, her vocals remained flawless. The accuracy of Mitski’s vocals compared to the studio recordings would make you believe she eats her own vinyl records for dinner, as zero difference could be detected. The emotion-packed contemporary dancing, in conjunction with the dramatic music and concert lights, made it feel less like a concert and more like a cinematic experience. Mitski is an artist in every sense of the word, and the performance she was able to execute could be placed in a museum without question.
One feature contrasting Mitski’s show from others is the lack of talking coming from the artist between songs. She wasted no time jumping from one song to the next instead of filling the hour with small talk. The seven words she spoke at the end of the set, “I love you. Thank you so much,” said enough. Wrapping up the show with “Pearl” as the encore made for an experience that was out of this world. Cellphone flashlights lined the venue and swayed along with the music.
In many years of attending concerts, I can safely say that I’ve never heard fans scream as loud as they did for Mitski, especially not at a venue as intimate as Roadrunner. Regardless of how big or small any venue is, Mitski possesses the charisma to enchant a group of any size.
(Want to catch Mitski live on tour? Find tour dates and tickets HERE.)
–Aug. 2, 2022–
