Melanie Martinez led the audience on a journey through her unparalleled three studio albums, Cry Baby, K-12, and Portals, during her sold-out stop of The Trilogy Tour at TD Garden. Fans crowded into the arena in frilly, lacey, and vibrant outfits. Many jumped into line at the merchandise tables, creating a sea of pink. Martinez had designs from each era, with many fans opting to purchase some vinyl while chatting about which of their favorite songs they hoped would be on the setlist.
The night kicked off with a burst of energy as alt-pop singer SOFIA ISELLA took the stage, opening with her dynamic song “Hot Gum.” Her raspy vocals complemented the synthy beats, which set the crowd ablaze. Isella, a classically trained violinist, added a unique twist to some tracks with her electric violin. She strutted around the stage in baggy jeans and an oversized t-shirt, which she later removed to reveal a strappy black bodysuit. Her transition into breathy and airy vocals later on in her set further contrasted the forceful beats, which was a testament to her versatility.
Indie-rock band Beach Bunny took the stage soon after, performing “Cuffing Season” from their debut studio album, Honeymoon. The band’s lead singer, Lili Trifilio, commanded the stage in a plaid skirt and black tank top, singing into a microphone stand adorned with a disco ball and other sparkly fabrics. The band held the attention of the arena with its memorable melodies and angsty lyrics, with one moment compelling the entire audience to raise their flashlights and sway back and forth to a few songs. Beach Bunny played fan favorites like “Prom Queen” and “Cloud 9.” After they left the stage, chatter and buzz filled the arena, building anticipation for Martinez.
Martinez emerged for act one to Cry Baby’s title track, taking the stage by storm with her powerful presence and hypnotic vocals as the bass vibrated the room. Martinez stunned the audience as she danced around the stage in a baby blue fuzzy sweater set and blue booties. Visuals of grunge teddy bears flashed on the screen as blow-up candles, heart balloons, and bubbles covered the stage.
The scale of the sets continued to increase, contributing to the storytelling. For “Show & Tell,” a song Martinez used as an outlet to grapple with her life as a public figure, she strapped her wrists into aerial specialist fabric shaped like the strings of a marionette puppet. She transitioned into “Nurse’s Office” and had her dancers strap her into a gurney. She performed that song into a camera positioned directly above her that projected onto the big screens around the stage, creating the intimate feeling that she was singing directly to you while in an arena of thousands. She finished the set with a dynamic performance of “High School Sweethearts,” lying down on the ground before being lowered under the stage to transform into her Portals character.
Martinez returned to a haunting guitar melody in full prosthetics and makeup, giving her an extra set of eyes and pink webbed ears. She wore a pillowy and quilted matching set to give her body access to movement as she came to life performing the opening track of Portals titled “Death.” Her clear and punchy vocals reverberated through the arena as she performed almost all of the mesmerizing tracks from Portals in order, interacting with props like a pair of wings and a sage green sword. Fans screamed along to every song, appearing to be a form of cathartic release.
Martinez captured the unique aesthetics of each album in one cohesive tour. Every ounce of the production was intentional, creating an immersive experience for fans who have been there since the beginning and new fans experiencing the magic of Cry Baby, K-12, and Portals for the first time. The set design, outfits, makeup, choreography, pyrotechnics, and visuals helped create natural transitions between albums, laying out the storyline of Martinez’s characters past and present. If you haven’t already, make sure to catch Martinez live before she heads to Europe and the UK in the fall to continue The Trilogy Tour.
Check out all of Samantha’s photos below.
