Just last month pop songwriter Tessa Violet released a new album, MY GOD!, which she brought to life for a packed crowd at Detroit’s El Club on August 15th. Mid-set, Tessa explained that she specifically asked for Detroit to be added to her tour routing because of the positive reception she got while opening for Cavetown (at The Fillmore last year). Here are five moments that stood out from the show:
Frances Forever Starts Strong
Opener Frances Forever got the crowd moving with their smooth dance moves on “Cry Inside My Car,” backed by reverb-filled, jangly guitar riffs. And if you’re wondering – yes, the artist’s name is both a play on their name (Frances) and the Mitski song (“Francis Forever”). The latter half of the set – which Frances Forever dubbed “the angsty guitar part” – did evoke the best of Mitski’s Bury Me at Makeout Creek era, with the singer headbanging to the scuzzy garage rock riffs of “Monica Gives Me Lockjaw” and the dissonant breakdown of “Paranoia Party.” And Frances Forever’s strong vocals brought the set to the finish line with the groovy jam “Space Girl.”
Rocking From the Start
Listening to Tessa Violet on record, the bright synth elements shine through, but live – backed by a guitarist/bassist Dante Cimadamore and drummer Mike McKerracher – her songs played delightfully heavy, nearly swerving her alt pop into industrial rock territory. Tessa harnessed the energy of the crowd from the get-go, imploring a singalong to opener “YES MOM,” backed by a sludgy bassline from Cimadamore. And she emphatically headbanged and got the fans’ arms swaying in unison to next track “Breakdown,” which was set to McKerracher’s anthemic drum beat.
A Fitting Collaboration
As Tessa Violet introduced “Play With Fire,” she promised a set filled with “songs that will make you feel happy; songs that will make you sad; songs that will make you feel a little bit naughty.” At this point, she brought Frances Forever back onstage, and the two singers showed off their impressive duet skills, as well as a nifty synchronized shuffle. The collaboration was especially well-timed because right after the show at midnight, Tessa Violet officially released the studio version of the sultry track that featured Frances Forever’s guest spot.
Crowd Banter
Tessa Violet’s stage presence and banter kept the crowd engaged all night, but especially in two memorable moments.
In the first moment, Tessa asked members of the crowd what they were grateful for, with answers ranging from friends to loved ones to jobs. However, the last person she queried answered that she was grateful for singing and that she was inspired by none other than Tessa. With that, Tessa invited the crowd member onstage – she introduced herself by the artist name Iimber and requested to sign “BAD BITCH,” with Tessa supporting on vocals and acoustic guitar.
In the second moment, Tessa declared: “Tonight I’m feeling a little spicy. I can do ‘Honest’ with the full band or I can do a request and play it acoustic.” With crowd cheers as the metric, the second option won out, and Tessa played a fan suggestion, “Not Over You,” which the crowd heartily sang and clapped along to.
Jumping for Joy and Words of Affirmation
A couple of other tracks stood out in the middle portion of the set: “I Like (the idea of) You” and “BAD BITCH.” On the former, Tessa Violet welcomed to the stage the “Golden Goddess,” an SG-style guitar with a glittery gold finish, to help deliver some punchy riffs that got the crowd jumping in unison. And on the latter, Tessa talked to the crowd about overcoming insecurities by shouting out some of her core mantras: “I like being me! I think I might be cool! Maybe my friends are right about me! Maybe I’m a bad fucking bitch!” With that last line, the crowd understood the assignment, bobbing along to the pulsing synth beat of “BAD BITCH”. The backing band brought the energy to the track’s coda, with Tessa headbanging and even picking up an extra drum stick to provide some extra oomph on the kit.
Costume Change and Closing the Main Set
After “BAD BITCH,” Tessa Violet briefly departed from the stage. A persistent bassline kept the anticipation high, and when Tessa returned, she donned a bright and glittery yellow dress and hat. (Tessa’s majestic costume for the earlier portion of the set featured a dazzling cape that could be picked up with each sway of the arm to unfold like iridescent butterfly wings.) She led off this phase with a hushed singalong on the folksy and sweet “Kitchen Song” before ramping the energy back up on the sultry jam “MY GOD!”. The penultimate song of the main set, “You Are Not My Friend,” impressed with its speedy guitar riff and driving drum beat, which brought some pop-punk/garage rock flavor to the show. “Will you give me all your love?” Tessa teased as she introduced “Crush.” The crowd went wild from the bouncy opening electronic beat, helping to belt out the words to the chorus to close out the main set.
Photos by Killian Young
