Mitski, Japanese Breakfast & Jay Som played MHOW (pics)
photos by Amanda Hatfield
Mitski wrapped up her tour with Japanese Breakfast and Jay Som in her (and Japanese Breakfast’s) hometown of NYC last night (7/27). It was a sold-out show at Music Hall of Williamsburg, and followed a sold-out Bowery Ballroom show that happened earlier in the tour. Mitski’s certainly come a long way from playing tiny DIY shows just two years ago.
Part of that of course is due to the strongly positive reaction to her Dead Oceans debut Puberty 2. Interestingly enough, like most of this tour, she actually focused more heavily on 2014’s Bury Me at Makeout Creek. I would’ve liked to hear more of the new stuff, but those older songs still sound great and I had no complaints about hearing them again (“I Don’t Smoke” was probably my favorite song of the night). The only real complaint I had was that Mitski was without her usual guitarist, and just played as a two-piece with her drummer. (Mitski was on guitar for the show, instead of her usual bass.) Her voice sounded fantastic, and she hardly needs much backing at all to get across how strong her songwriting is, but especially with the heavy layering of the new album, I’d really love to see her with a bigger band.
Japanese Breakfast’s live show, though, was even more energetic than when I saw them at SXSW. Singer/guitarist Michelle Zauner is constantly jumping around on stage, and even with this band’s dream pop-leaning sound, she still gives herself a chance to let out the cathartic screams that she was known for in her punkier band Little Big League. She also ended her show with a “love song to a robot” (her words), which had her running around the stage and surfing the crowd on someone’s shoulders, all while singing into a vocoder. Really fun ending.
Like Rob pointed out in his review of the LA show, Jay Som (aka Melina Duterte) played her opening set solo rather than with her band. Hopefully she’ll be back in town with a band sooner than later, but it was definitely clear from her solo set how promising she is. She’s got a great voice, and it’s clear that she packs a ton of emotion and detail into her lyrics.
Pictures of the show are in the gallery above. Mitski’s setlist is below.
UPDATE: Mitski’s next headlining NYC show will be at Webster Hall in November.
Mitski @ MHOW – 7/27/16 Setlist
Townie
First Love – Late Spring
I Want You
Thursday Girl
How Deep Is Your Love (Calvin Harris & Disciples cover)
Once More to See You
Francis Forever
My Body’s Made of Crushed Little Stars
I Don’t Smoke
Your Best American Girl
I Will
Drunk Walk Home
A Burning Hill
Last Words of A Shooting Star
