It was a cold and wet Saturday night walking up to the Sinclair in Cambridge. There was a storm brewing – maybe. Some sources called for seven inches of snow, others just one. It was only fitting that we were there to catch indie act TORRES, aka Mackenzie Scott, who has seemingly spent her career making music that exists on this dangerous precipice of peace and violence. She was playing in support of her sixth album What an enormous room, released only a day prior to the show.  

First up on the night was indie singer ADDIE, who kicked the show off in a pleasant form. Her warm indie was catchy and buoyant, with youthful exuberance – she told the Cambridge crowd that she’s eyeing down her graduation from Berklee. It was a loose set, somewhat resembling a less metrical Beach Bunny. She opened with two tracks from her 2022 record “Crater Lake,” but the set was mostly focused on new tracks. Four of the eight songs were new ones, including at least one live debut. It was a fun set, especially as many audience members were already fans and didn’t spend it awkwardly slouching around as you see in other openers. “Pink Light” and “Grudge” followed three new songs, with the fourth closing out the fun, confident set.

TORRES was out soon after. While I was expecting an unpredictable night, I nor anyone was expecting a technical snafu to derail the opening song immediately. Scott hopped on the opportunity, though, delivering the first of a number of stories detailing the songs. The song in question is “Happy man’s shoes,” the first track off of enormous room. The album plays off of the precipitous balance she has displayed, ricocheting between tender indie tracks like “Forever home” and threatening bangers like “Collect.” It’s a great album, and one that seems to be a comprehensive collection of all of the areas Scott has previously explored as an artist. All in all, Scott played seven of the album’s ten songs. 

But it was an eclectic night, as Scott pulled an additional eight songs from four other albums, most notably 2017’s Three Futures. Scott introduced a few songs, dedicating one song to a free-spirited friend who takes others under their wing, and another to finding herself after leaving the Baptist church she grew up in. She also connected dots, referring back to her 2015 album Sprinter (this writer’s favorite of hers) as being written in a much angrier time, saying she’s now settled down with a happy wife and a happy life. “I’m still edgy, Boston,” she quipped, before launching into the song “Sprinter.” “My dick is still hard as a fucking rock.” The new songs played well with the older tracks, as many of them felt like they were born to be played live. 

All in all, it was a joyously varied night of music. Scott and her band played through all facets of the TORRES catalog, from softer, more synthy tunes like “I got the fear” and “Marble Focus,” to rippers like “Thirstier” and “Helen in the Woods,” the latter of which saw Scott close out the main set in a shredding finale. “Wake to Flowers” and “Thirstier” were the standouts of the set, the songs that got the biggest ovations at the end. Ultimately, the night edged far closer to tender and fun, just as the storm missed the city and dropped only a thin lamination of snow. It was a celebration, of growth, mistakes, lessons, and personal fulfillment. And shredding. 

This was the last stop for the tour in the US, but it continues onward in Europe shortly. What an enormous room is available on all music sources. 

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