Those who arrived less than an hour before doors for the sold out Mitski show were greeted by a line that stretched down to Cask N’ Flagon and probably further than that if you came right at 7pm. As security began to let folks in, there was a lite exhale; only 2 hours stood between us and the songs we’ve been dying to hear live. Inside the House of Blues, things were calm; jazz filled the room(which was a nice change of pace from the usual rotation of indie rock pre-show music) as folks grabbed drinks and spots on the floor. The line for merch was just as massive as the line outside the venue. I watched as fans walked away with HUGE stacks of merch and even bigger smiles on their faces.
As the music faded and folks returned from their shopping sprees, Overcoats walked on stage ready to charm the crowd with their lovely voices and sporadic moments of choreography. They played a number of new tracks from an upcoming release as well as some tracks from their 2017 album Young. Folks were really into this band from start to finish. I’ve experienced opening sets where folks talked through the whole act or used that time to catch up on email and I’m happy to say that that wasn’t the case with Overcoats. The majority of us were completely mesmerized by the catalog of bops these ladies blessed us with. Set stand-outs include ‘Nighttime Hunger’ and their closing song ‘Leave The Light On,’ which is the track that got me hooked weeks prior. This was my 1st time seeing Overcoats and the best thing about their set was watching these talented women have the time of their lives on stage. As Overcoats exited, the jazz playlist resumed and we commenced our final period of waiting. Things got a bit more snug on the floor as folks pushed towards the front….it was truly beginning to smell like a school gymnasium.
The lights went down and the crowd HOWLED with applause and accolades before Mitski and her band even got to their places on stage. ‘Remember My Name’ opened the set and it felt so good to not only sing that song in this big room but hear other folks singing along as well. At one point a pit opened up during ‘Townie’ and of course we all let loose during ‘Nobody;’ which is still the best song my ears have experienced this year. ‘Two Slow Dancers’ is just as soft when you hear it live. As Mitski posed that unforgettable question, ‘Does it smell like a school gymnasium in here?,’ you could hear sniffles from someone who had gotten a bit teary-eyed. The sniffles actually fit in quite perfectly with the piano and looped footage of falling rose petals. ‘Thank you for saving my life’ Mitski said as the encore came to a close. Many people in the crowd yelled ‘Thank You’ back which beautifully closed out the final seconds of the show.
Mitski brings a new layer to this tour by incorporating movement as well as visual elements to each song. The added elements created an exquisite experience; I saw new sides of songs I’ve loved for years and found new meaning in songs I’m in the process of getting to know better.
If you were able to snag a ticket to a future date on this tour, you are truly in for one of the best nights of your life.
See below for photos from the show (in order: Mitski and Overcoats):