On June 3rd, Canadian pop virtuoso Lights returned to Boston for the first time in 3 years in support of her 6th studio album, A6. Eager fans crammed into an at-capacity Brighton Music Hall for an up-close-and-personal experience that was more than a little sweaty.
Alt-pop artist King Mala was Lights’ sole opener for the night, and she was welcomed to her first Boston performance by a packed audience. She delivered a captivating performance of songs from her debut LP, And You Who Drowned in the Grief of a Golden Thing, a brooding concept album released early last month.
The crowd response to Lights’ arrival was immediate when she appeared from backstage wearing a fan-made jersey. Fans jammed in close and she began with songs from her latest album A6 before moving back through her catalog. Naturally there was limited time to thoroughly explore the full range of her 6 albums, so the setlist was curated to feature just over half of the new album, a fair sampling from her previous album PEP, and a scattershot of perennial favorites. Notably there was an absence of music from Skin and Earth, particularly because the last time that Lights played Brighton Music Hall was in 2019 for the intimate Skin and Earth acoustic tour. Some of the most anticipated classic selections came from Little Machines and The Listening, a throwback to some of Lights’ earliest work and testament to the longevity of her career.
To nobody’s surprise, Lights put on a great performance and her fans were happy to let her know it. She commented with astonishment at the nearly 20 years that she has been putting out music as Lights, and made it clear that she does not take it for granted that she still has such dedicated fans. Considering that the last time she headlined in Boston was at the significantly larger Big Night Live, fans fortunate enough to snag tickets before the more exclusive Brighton Music Hall show quickly sold out were the ride-or-die variety. The crowd’s outpouring of support as they sang along had a noticeable impact on Lights as she performed. When she gave thanks to the audience for enabling her to make music for as long as she has, she paused to wipe away tears and rein in her emotions before joking, “It’s because I broke my foot last time! The body carries trauma!” As the conclusion of her set drew near, Lights once again jumped onto the barricade to connect with fans, unstoppable as ever.
Check out all of Greg’s photos from the show below.
