Photo by Shannon Hansen
As the last bit of sunlight faded from the sky Friday evening, fans lined up outside the Hollywood Palladium on Sunset Boulevard, anxiously awaiting the opening of the doors. I’d been to the Palladium before so I was more than ready to go stake my spot as close to the stage as I could.
When the doors finally opened at 8 p.m., fans piled inside. I saw Chvrches at Coachella in April, and I was stoked to be at another one of their shows, this time in a more intimate setting than before. The Palladium is definitely on the smaller side when it comes to venues, but the cozy atmosphere it provides really makes for a great performance. The only downfall, however, was the bathrooms, which I must say were a whole other level of disgusting.
The Range opened as DJ, giving the Palladium a club-like feel while presenting a compilation of electronic songs to the crowd. He didn’t open with a casual hello nor an introduction of who he was, which made for a mysterious beginning. He began to DJ, making the floor pulsate as the strobe lights darted around the room. Half of the audience got pumped with this opening while the other half stood stoic, patiently waiting for the main act to come on.
The opener ended his set, and Iain Cook and Martin Doherty of Chvrches led the way onto the stage. The crowd went wild, practically exploding when Lauren Mayberry came on and took her place at the microphone. My friend and I pushed our way forward in the crowd, inching ever-closer to the front.
Chvrches’ music is a mix of electronic and pop and they are most widely known for “The Mother We Share,” “Recover” and “Lies.” The pulsing beats with the catchy lyrics had everyone in the audience dancing and having a good time.
What’s unique about Chvrches, as an electronic band, is how good they are live. It sounded almost better than the recorded tracks, with every note that Mayberry hit being on point. The crowd consisted of young people, mostly 21 and younger.
The concert was a little shorter than the average, with Chvrches only playing for an hour before they left the stage. Clearly wanting more, the crowd cheered for an encore and waited anxiously until the stage lit back up again. Mayberry, Cook and Doherty walked back on, waiting for the overwhelming cheers to die down before they explained why they came back out.
After referencing “Star Wars,” Mayberry dedicated their final song to a loyal fan who had recently passed away. Some of his family and friends were actually in attendance at the concert that evening, and cheers rang through the venue when Mayberry said his name. When the final song ended, the crowd erupted in cheers once again as the band left the stage, and the venue lit up with an ambient purple light. Fans made their way to the exits, and soon the Chvrches fanatics were back on Sunset, walking to their cars after a wonderful evening at a show. At this concert, Chvrches outdid themselves with their song choices, and I’d see them perform again in a heartbeat.
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