[ATTENDED: January 28, 2026] Sudan Archives
I’ve known about Sudan Archives since her first album came out. I wanted to see her in 2020, but her show sold out. Then it was just before the COVID shutdown and her show wasn’t cancelled but hardly anyone went so I could have gone (but I didn’t know that and probably wouldn’t have gone anyway). I had a ticket to see her a couple years ago but didn’t make it. But then I finally saw her at All Things Go in 2023,so I was excited to get to see her again at her own show.
This show was postponed by one day because of all of the snow. Initially I didn’t think I would be able to make it because we had tickets to something else tonight. But I managed to reschedule that and was really happy that I made it to this show.
And wow, what a transformation.
The stage was set with three plexiglass platforms. On the left was a small table with a violin and some electronics. I was in front of that. In the middle was a taller circle with her new flying V violin on a stand. And at the far side was a computer and a table.
The lights went dark and she came out. The sound effects on the computer made it sound like she was robotic. And it was still dark on stage so I’m not sure if everyone could see her because it was silent in the audience. She slowly walked over to the computer. Every time she moved her body it followed mechanical sounds. And each step sounded like a huge robot stomp. Finally, she moved to the center area and pulled out her violin bow–to the sound of a sword being unsheathed, and the crowd went nuts.
She stood atop the center plexiglass and started playing her violin. It sounded so good while mixed with the backing music. She was also singing, although I couldn’t see her face at first. Her voice sounded great too. And I soon realized that it was going to be just her up there. Amazing.
The first song was DEAD, the opening song of the new album. The lighting was dark as she sang and played. After the dramatic opening, she moved over to the computer, which I assume was connected and possibly ran her backing tracks. She jumped back to the center platform with her flying V violin, playing, turning away from the audience then looking back over her shoulder. It was flirtatious but also sounded great.
For the second song, she returned to the computer area and picked up two clear drum sticks. She then proceeded to pound out the rhythmic sounds that feature in NOIRE.
Once she started Yea Yea Yea she became more interactive with the audience. I was on the barrier and she came over and pointed right at me a few times, which was unsettling because she was very intense. She got the crowd to chant along to “Im not– average” as she introduced NBPQ, a rousing anthem of individuality.
I really liked the way she could go from rousing dance beats to pretty violin melody, all while still singing. Interestingly she did have a microphone stand with a mic on it (mostly she used the wireless headset). But when she sang Touch Me she used the other mic which had an echo effect on it.
When she stood on the center platform and the black lights flashed upon her, her eyed glowed in an otherworldly way–I don’t know what kind of contacts she had in, but between that and the cool lines of makeup around her eyes she looked amazing.
The violin is pretty versatile and I loved when she brought it to the front of the stage and started playing it like a guitar–picking out the slow melody of Nont for Sale. Although when she did a sing along (hey hey hey hey) she came over to us and asked us to sing and stomped off saying I can’t hear you. This surprised me because I thought the crowd was really into it, but they did sound kind of quiet to me too. (more…)
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