Last Words of a Shooting Star: Mitski in Los Angeles

7/8/2016

Mitski by Justin Ashby © A-To-J Connections, 2016

The crowd outside the Echoplex was getting antsy as 8:30 rolled around. Some people had been waiting in line upwards of an hour just to get their spot at the foot of the stage. Entering the venue, everybody scrambled to get as close to the front as physically possible. With the omission of the usual photographer's pit, I was stuck behind somebody far too tall to be allowed in the front, who leaned casually on the stage as we awaited the openers.

While the crowd was full of hipster assholes willing to push girls out of the way so they could get a slightly better view, the music shut everybody up in an instant. As Jay Som vocalist Melina Duterte came on stage, a hush fell over even the most obnoxious showgoers. Melina has been on her first-ever solo tour, playing Jay Som sets without the rest of her band, and she absolutely killed it. Her soothing indie pop set the perfect mood for the night, as she played fan-favorites like "I Think You're Alright".

Jay Som by Justin Ashby © A-To-J Connections, 2016

Japanese Breakfast was up next, the Philadelphia trio fronted by Michelle Zauner. Evoking the most energy from the crowd, songs like "Everybody Wants to Love You" got the audience pumped with infectious saccharine pop. They closed with an as-yet-unreleased song about "falling in love with a robot", which featured some incredible vocoder effects which reminded me of Meishi Smile, or even Polysics. Zauner walked out into the crowd, mic in hand, to provide the most intimate performance of the night. Coming off the release of their latest album "Psychopomp", Japanese Breakfast is not a band to be missed. They almost stole the entire show. Almost...

Japanese Breakfast by Justin Ashby © A-To-J Connections, 2016

Mitski herself came on stage early to set up her gear and do a quick sound check. Hushing the cheering audience, she gestured for us to wait as she disappeared backstage. As she and her backing band finally emerged, she lifted her bass and thanked everybody for coming in the most sincere way I've ever heard.

Mitski opened the set with some Mitski classics, opting to save the new stuff for later. Songs off of the beloved album "Bury Me At Makeout Creek" got everybody pumped, even audibly declaring their love for Mitski at one point. In the best show of truthfulness I've seen from a performer, Mitski declared that "you don't know me, but I'm glad you love my music". Another great stage banter gem was when Mitski declared that "nobody who had a good prom ever grew up to be a good adult". I don't think anybody there was about to dispute that!

Mitski by Justin Ashby © A-To-J Connections, 2016

As Mitski prepared to launch into 'the hit' ("Your Best American Girl"), the crowd tensed up, ready for the sonic experience of that song's perfect chorus. Sure enough, it was the loudest point of the night. To voice a quick complaint, though, the sound tech was pretty notably off on the mixing. I wish the distortion had been louder here, totally enveloping the vocals as it does on the album. Mitski's beautiful performance was enough to make up for that, though!

There were actually very few songs off 'Puberty 2' on Mitski's setlist. We heard cuts like "My Body's Made of Crushed Little Stars" (where Mitski chuckled and mentioned that she "forgot she had to rock"), personal favorite "Thursday Girl", and a hauntingly gorgeous rendition of "A Burning Hill". I was hoping to heard "Fireworks" or "A Loving Feeling", but I can respect that they might not have fit in with Mitski's vision for the set that night. It didn't make the night any less perfect.

Mitski by Justin Ashby © A-To-J Connections, 2016

This was hands-down one of the best live experiences I've had in my life. The openers were fantastic, Mitski herself played an unforgettable set, and there was a comforting air of intimacy hanging over the room. It was hard to ignore the bad parts, such as the guy to my side who loudly told a female photographer that he "doesn't give a shit" in response to her letting him know that he was blocking her view. It was hard to ignore the couple who audibly groaned and said "I hate photographers at shows" as I was setting up my camera. Self-centered hipster boys clambered to the front and knocked people out of their way, just to comment loudly on how attractive they found Mitski. While all of that might have left a poor impression, the musicians ultimately put on some of the best performances I've ever seen, and I'm incredibly thankful to have heard those beautiful songs which were exactly what I needed to hear. I sincerely hope that everybody felt the immense amount of love and care each artist put into their set, and went home with great memories of a beautiful night.

-Justin