by Jon Bauer
Some things are worth the wait.
Lauren Mayberry was supposed to come to San Francisco back in January, but due to a “rough throat-sinus infection,” she postponed. Fans were disappointed, but she followed through on her promise to make it up to them last night at The Fillmore. In support of her glorious solo album Vicious Creature, and with her paired-down band consisting of Marian Li-Pino on drums and Heather Nation on guitar – she rolled out a sultry, poignant, energetic set that more than made the wait worth it.
Known for fronting the Scottish super-group CHVRCHES, this is her first solo album, and while it doesn’t share the same kind of synth pop sound as CHVRCHES, it is a melodic, charming, ambitious project that features Lauren’s rangy voice in new and heretofore unexplored ways. I love it, and I’m so glad she took that leap.
Her set included many songs from her solo outing, with the addition of a beautiful version of “Bittersweet Symphony” that had the crowd singing along with her. For one of her encores, Lauren sang “Oh, Mother” (end of side one of her album) – which Lauren says “…is a very depressing song” – there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. She ended with “Sunday Best” – another track from Vicious Creature, which appropriately ends with the lyrics “Hold on, don’t forget / Careful with words left unsaid / I’ll look for you in your Sunday best / And you can remind me it ends.”
Lauren plays Bottle Rock next (today!), and that audience is also in for a treat.
Opening for Lauren, was California’s own Ava Maybee, who jammed a playful set full of songs that featured her vulnerabilities. She also plays Bottle Rock this weekend!
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