By Jonah Hinebaugh
Illuminated by soft-colored stage lights, Japanese Breakfast frontwoman Michelle Zauner said Florida is one of the few places she’s been where the crowd always sings back the lyrics.
The sold-out venue Crowbar erupted in cheer as Zauner continued her set, playing tracks from her recent LP “Soft Sounds from Another Planet” such as “Road Head,” “Machinist” and “Boyish.”
Snail Mail kicked off the show under red lights with colorful guitar from Lindsey Jordan, flanked by Alex Bass on the bass and Ray Brown on the drums. Jordan released her first EP in 2015 and is now gearing up to drop a full-length album in early June. Despite overly enthusiastic fans proclaiming their love for her after every song, she set the stage for the dream-pop headliner.
Zauner wore an all-white cropped pantsuit paired with light-up shoes as she bounced up on stage. The show hit every mark it possibly could with a set full of love, sadness and carefree energy complemented by a synth-pop ethereality that intoxicated the whole crowd.
“This song is about dealing with the loss of a loved one,” Zauner said before beginning “Till Death.” The song was written as a thank-you to her partner for standing by her side through a painful year, one that included the death of her mother due to cancer, as well as the reality that everyone is just biding their time until death.
No matter how many descriptors are used or scenes painted, there’s no way to capture the emotional honesty Zauner expressed and shared with her fans at this show.
