On a warm Wednesday night in the rolling hills above Los Feliz, Weyes Blood charmed the Angeleno crowd with magnificent songs and vivid stories of her childhood, failed relationships, and the people who made her who she is.
Weyes Blood is the project of Natalie Mering, a California native and good friend of the night’s opener, Perfume Genius. On any given evening, Perfume Genius could have been a headliner at the Greek or most other venues in LA, given his illustrious career. Through the years, Mike Hadreas has created stunning track after stunning track that weaves loss, jubilation, and self-discovery into instantly accessible melodies.
Across his setlist, he played tracks spanning his career – even diving into “Eye in the Wall” off his most recent, more avant-garde album Ugly Season. By the end, his suit was torn, flowers covered the stage, and Hadreas had left his soul with the crowd.
Next came Weyes Blood, whose career has skyrocketed with her past two LPs Tianic Rising and And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow. Mering took the stage in a sparkling white gown and opened with lead single “It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everyone”. It’s a mid-tempo ballad, drenched in Laurel Canyon influence. A perfect start. Later in the setlist, she announced that “God Turn Me Into a Flower” would be accompanied by a special visual compilation put together by documentarian Adam Curtis. The harsh, visceral nature of the footage was an emotional companion to the ethereal knockout that is “God Turn Me Into a Flower”.
During the final three songs before the encore, a red heart started glowing from her dress. For many artists, such a literal embodiment on sincerity would come off trite. But with Weyes Blood, you know the sincerity is genuine and it’s the air that her songs breathe.
The performance ended with a stellar encore, highlighted by a duet with Perfume Genius on “Sides”, a 2017 track from No Shape that originally featured Weyes Blood. It was a life-affirming evening, one that made you grateful that music like this can still capture so many fan’s imaginations.
Weyes Blood continues her tour in Europe, South America, and Mexico later this year. You can find all things Weyes Blood on her website here.
Perfume Genius
Weyes Blood
Photos + Review by Andrew Ameter | Exclusively for Music, Why Not!
