I really liked Torres’ album Sprinter and Bob Boilen had said that she was great live performer so I was pretty excited to see her live on this tour. I wasn’t exactly expecting a lot of power because while her music has a distinct intensity it never seemed like it would be huge. But man, Mackenzie Scott has an amazing presence, and her band was fantastic.
The biggest surprise for me came as the show began because Torres has new music out and it’s quite different from the songs I know. It’s much more synth heavy, with a very different vibe. The songs on Sprinter bubble under with intensity, but the new ones have a kind of sinister keyboard layer over the top. She also sings a bit more quietly on these songs.
What was interesting was that the newer music allowed her to do some interesting things on stage that reminded me of the choreography of St. Vincent (albeit much more subtle). She made small movements with her hips or shoulders. She really absorbed the attention of the audience. I loved that at times she just stood with her back to us, shadowed by lights as she waited for the songs to build.
I guess she played around nine song (there’s no setlist online). She played a couple of new songs and then a bunch off of Sprinter.
She didn’t speak much but she did say at one point I’m pleased to be here in front of you as Torres. For this music is not all about her.
Guitarist Cameron Kapoor stood in the back playing all kinds of great noises. While it was hard to take my eyes off of Scott, Kapoor was great to watch–he had a bank of keyboards and effects and his squealed and squalled some noises all the way through. Sometimes loud, sometimes just quiet textures, he really gave the songs a great sonic landscape. 
Erin Manning played keyboards and sang backing vocals. Her sound seemed much more notable on the new songs where Scot played only solos.
Drummer Dominic Cipolla play a mix of electronic and analog drums that perfectly fleshed out the rest of the songs.
As far as the setlist, there were two new songs including her new single “Skim.” I really enjoyed the sounds she squeezed out of her guitar between verses.
Then there was the dramatic change in sound for Sprinter’s “New Skin,” and that’s when it really kicked in just how powerful she was live. Her new songs may not employ the same techniques, but she hasn’t lost any of that intensity. And she plays her guitar sparingly but effectively: (I love watching her fingers in the dim light here).
Her deep powerful (sometimes vulnerable) voice really came out. By the time she got to “Sprinter,” the intensity level was through the roof.
But the song I’d been waiting to see was “Strange Hellos.” This is the first song I’d heard by her and I loved the way it started so small and simple and turned into a huge raging song. And live it’s even better.
She has the audacity to slow down that first section even further. It’s amazing to hear the lengthy pauses between notes as she just stares at the audience daring us to interrupt. And then the song proper starts and it rocks. Her voice is strained to breaking as she sings along. But it’s the end of the song–and the show–that was utterly memorable.
The show was great and I’ve just gotten a ticket for her show a the more intimate Boot & Saddle later his year so I can get another full dose of her intensity.
Two trips to PhilaMOCA in three days. This time to see a local band that I really like, Palm.
I Just Read About That... 