Many fans were confused when arriving at The Riv, not hearing about the venue change—and with the Lawrence Red Line stop out of commission, it frustrated them even more. The Vic was more suited to her act, although although her enormous set engulfed the stage. Usually performers who play in the more intimate setting don’t have a blinding light show such as this. The concert seemed very big-budget, with an extremely strong backup band that included two stylized drummers. Marshall even pulled out a drum kit herself later in the evening.
The singer known for storming offstage in the past held it together, although she pulled antics with the techies throughout almost every song, waving and making signals. Marshall wanted perfection vocally and technically, leading to her own frustration—even venting about how math is related to music. She howled, experimented with the microphone, hooted, drank tea and burned incense, creating performance art that was more than a concert. Her vocals would soar and then at times seemed muffled. The audience didn’t know what to expect but judging from all the people saying, “I love you,: they seemed to enjoy it.
She sang a cappella in Spanish (cover of “Angelitos Negros”), whispered and shrieked while performing tracks both old and new from the recently released album Sun. She sang the title track along with “Cherokee” and “Human Being.” The rocking “Peace and Love” worked well with the lights and kept the set from getting too sleepy. She slipped in past favorites like “The Greatest” and closed with “Ramblin’ Woman,” passing out flowers to the audience.
The crowd was very mixed at The Vic, with some thinking they were at a frat party, lots of hipsters and an LGBT following that should have been stronger with Marshall’s style and mannerisms. With new songs such as “Bully,” it is good to know she is on our side putting on a live show that was unpredictable.