[DID NOT ATTEND: November 12, 2025] Merce Lemon / Hemlock / Soup Dreams
We saw Merce Lemon open for The Decemberists in July. They came out as a five piece (although Merce Lemon is apparently the lead singer and it is her project). They played six songs, each one at least 5 minutes long. The songs started out quietly but they usually had really exciting moments and the crowd was easily won over by them. The last song in particular had a great build up and conclusion.
I assume this isn’t a solo show, but I didn’t love them enough to want to see them headline.
Hemlock was not the heavy metal band from Las Vegas but rather, as their (hilariously old school looking website) describes them they are the ongoing folk experiment of Louisiana-born multi-disciplinary artist and independent musician Carolina Chauffe, and various rotating collaborators. They play “swamp-raised, phone-fi, alt-folk🕊️🕊️ louisiana & chicago-based, but more often on the road 🕊️ END ICE + FREE PALESTINE.”
According to their tour list, this show was a full band. Their sound is indeed slow and swampy.
Soup Dreams are a Philly based project. Get Alternative describes them pretty well
Philly’s Soup Dreams play a familiar style: a dusty, rearview-gazing kind of alt rock that seems perpetually en vogue. With Hellbender, though, they do it very, very well. Much of the appeal lies in Emma Kazan’s voice, which carries some of the same self-assured quiver as Katie Crutchfield’s; in fact, Waxahatchee is a fair comparison point for Soup Dreams, who occasionally come off like the … more alt, less country version of them).
I would say like a combination of Remember Sports, Wednesday, and Ratboys. They are fairly new and I’m sure I’ll see them open for someone else next year.
I Just Read About That... 