On her first tour of Boston, Stella Donnelly said she only played to twenty people at Great Scott. This past Friday—just five months later—she had a line around the block to see her perform at ONCE Ballroom. Her mention of that intimate gig (unfortunately coinciding with Game 2 of the Red Sox in the World Series) was met with cheers. “Oh you know it?” the Australian artist quipped. “You weren’t there!” Donnelly never expected her first songs to be heard outside of her local pub, but her first album Thrush Metal was like a flash of lightning striking the zeitgeist at exactly the right moment. The single “Boys Will Be Boys”—first released in 2017—started out as a personal reckoning with her friend’s sexual assault, but bloomed into a prescient anthem when the Harvey Weinstein allegations ushered in the #MeToo era. Now she’s touring her second album, Beware the Dogs with the full band who helped her record.
Faye Webster opened the show on guitar accompanied by her bandmate, Pistol, on the pedal steel. With the songs’ borderline-country twang and voice full of yearning, Webster sounded like a contemporary of Elvis or Neil Young. The captivated audience swayed unconsciously to “Room Temperature.” The song that struck a very millennial chord about needing to get out more, but feeling like we’re stuck in the same spot as last year, unable to change. Then as quickly as she drew everyone into melancholy contemplation, she cut the tension between songs by showing off her yo-yo skills, and transforming the rap “Cheap Thrills” by Father into a folk melody, complete with line, “Life’s too short, and the dick too long.”
Despite the “full band” billing, Stella Donnelly first came out by herself. Her bright and smiling personality contrasted with her gentle voice and intricate guitar pickings. “U Owe Me” referenced her shitty boss at her former pub through the imagery of the cheap Australian beer VB. Mid-song, she stopped to ask someone in the first row what they were drinking and she quickly changed the lyric to ‘Gansett. Donnelly’s commentary and backstories were just as entertaining as her songs. Her only love song was called “Mosquito,” and if the blood-sucking imagery wasn’t romantic enough, she immediately followed with the breakup sequel, called “Allergies.” Yet she turned her cheeky remarks to heartwarming sincerity when it came to playing “Boys Will Be Boys.” When she hit the high notes in the chorus, it pierced my heart to its core. I appreciate that she centered that song towards the beginning/middle of her set for the audience to reflect on. Had she saved it for an encore, it might not have had the same resonance.
To ease the solemn atmosphere that had fallen over the crowd, Donnelly continued the set with her bandmates, which led to natural teasing. George Foster, Jennifer Aslett, and Jack Gaby rotated between keys, guitar, and bass while Talya Valenti played the drums. The full band played her more upbeat surf rock numbers from the new album. A favorite was the song she composed to jog to, called “Die.” Her jogging habit was short-lived, so for the live performance, she choreographed some jog-like dance moves to imitate how she could have jogged to the song. Whether she’s recounting her cousins thinking her mum is the coolest out of all their aunties, or calling out old men for leering at her friends, Donnelly is undoubtedly an avalanche of talent, wit, and charm that is only picking up momentum.
See below for photos from the show (in order: Stella Donnelly and Faye Webster):