Marika Hackman started the US leg of her Big Sigh tour on Saturday 9/7 at The Sinclair, marking her first visit to Massachusetts since 2019. Dedicated fans made their way to Harvard Square for a crowd-pleasing showing, 5 years in the making.

Art School Girlfriend eased into things with her solo opening set: a low-key shoe-gazing performance accentuated by her breathy vocals and unassuming stage presence. She nevertheless couldn’t resist prefacing the sadder portion of her set with a sly quip, “you’re at a Marika Hackman concert. You wanted this.”

When it came time for Marika Hackman to begin her performance, she was greeted enthusiastically by a crowd that ultimately made a point of shouting out their love for her frequently throughout the night. She played a carefully honed setlist that featured fan favorites and some deeper cuts spanning across each of her albums and their corresponding tonal shifts. She began and ended her intimate set by performing solo, but she was joined on stage by her band for the middle portion. With two of Hackman’s regular bandmates unfortunately stranded in London by visa troubles, Art School Girlfriend stepped back up to fill the gap. Both accompanied and unaccompanied, Marika Hackman demonstrated with just her guitar, a microphone, and a folding chair that she needed no embellishment to captivate the crowd. She instead relied on the unpretentious simplicity of her arrangement to showcase her talents. The evening drew to a close with a gentle performance of “The Yellow Mile,” contrasting heavily with the sudden outburst of applause from fans. With Marika Hackman having finally returned to the states, the audience at The Sinclair seemed to personify the catharsis of the end of a long absence.

 Check out all of Greg’s photos from the show below.