Los Angeles based rock band Cherry Glazerr opened the night with a fun filled set of guitar and drum driven songs. They’re currently touring in support of their third studio album Stuffed & Ready.
As the venue filled to near-capacity the stage was set to a low-lit blue light and smoke. The crowd was on their feet and ready with anticipation when the bass dropped and the lights began to flash. Lauren Mayberry, Iain Cook, Martin Doherty and Jonny Scott were welcomed with a thunderous applause and returned that same energy from the first to last note.
Opening with “Get Out” followed by Mayberry’s line, “We are a band called CHVRCHES. Thank you very much for coming out to see us”. Throughout the setlist the crowd were treated to a mix of fan favorites from all three albums The Bones of What You Believe, Every Open Eye and Love Is Dead. After a thirteen-song main setlist the band returned for an encore featuring “The Mother We Share” and closing with “Never Say Die”.
Along with their fantastic performance came their usual funny banter and stories. Reminiscing about their last time in town with a stop in Uptown Arcade in which Lauren’s joystick on The Simpson’s game was broken so her character got pelted and how that could be a metaphor so she did not return yesterday in fear that it might be too much for her to take this time. Discussion about the C-word and how its meaning can be so much worse when used in America conversation versus its uses in British vocabulary. Speaking of vocabulary, Mayberry brought up that she has not seen the cultural phenomenon that is Game of Thrones except for a recent episode and gave us the word “swedge”, a Scottish term for sword play.
The band always seem to enjoy playing in Chicago and tonight seemed no different. Even with all of the recent online distractions from Chris Brown fans since the recent statement regarding his involvement with recent collaborator Marshmello, the band seemed quite upbeat and happy to be on stage.
CHVRCHES are always a fun band to see live and it’s an honor to cover them in our hometown with a short review and photo album. Thank you again CHVRCHES and special thanks to their manager Campbell for the chat yesterday along with all of your help, as well as Lauren at Glassnote Records.
Photos captured by Josh Terzino and edited by Kari Terzino of Music Defined for Lauren Mayberry Fans.
Setlist
Get Out
Bury It
We Sink
Graffiti
Graves
Miracle
Science/Visions
Under The Tide
Deliverance
Forever
Recover
Leave A Trace
Clearest Blue
Encore
The Mother We Share
Never Say Die