Singer-songwriter Natalie Mering, known professionally as her moniker Weyes Blood, brought the In Holy Flux Tour to a sold out crowd at Washington D.C.’s 9:30 Club. She is touring in support of her latest record, And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow.
Weyes Blood took the stage adorned in a floor-length caped gown. She was illuminated by the soft glow of artificial candles that were splayed across her set. She opened with her latest album’s lead single, “It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody.” The crowd was entranced by her rich voice that blends a 70’s folk style with indie pop vibe. Fans quietly sang along while hanging on her every note.
The setlist featured a perfect mix of moments from her latest record as well as her 2019 release, Titanic Rising. During “Movies” a water projection glistened across her white dress as she moved slowly and theatrically, channeling all her energy into performing the song as epically as possible. During the strings breakdown she grabbed a bouquet of white roses and threw them out into the crowd as she twirled across the stage. The celestial, “God Turn Me Into a Flower,” was performed in darkness as a film by documentarian, Adam Curtis, played in the background. The montage cycled through old film clips, increasing in speed as her vocals and sounds from the natural world built on each other to engulf the room. The custom chest plate that she wears in her album cover also lit up from under her dress during “Twin Flame” and “Hearts Aglow,” completing the full visual effect of this Weyes Blood era.
Natalie also engaged the crowd with whimsical stage banter. She joked about astrology and about being in the capital of “The Empire” after performing “Children of the Empire.” On February 25th she posted a tweet encouraging fans to bring DVDs to the show. The response was enthusiastic, and the she gleefully accepted copies of movies like Titanic, Night at the Museum, and The Fablemans that were thrown on stage by fans. Despite the show being sold out, her warm presence created an intimate atmosphere that left fans feeling connected.
Check out photos from the night below!
Weyes Blood’s opener was whistler, Molly Lewis. She got her start in professional whistling in 2012 at Louisburg, North Carolina’s International Whistlers Convention. Molly whistled original classical and samba inspired compositions. The crowd silently listened in awe at her incredible talent and technical skill. Most people in the room likely had never seen anything quite like her performance before. Molly took the time to explain the inspiration behind each of her songs before performing them. One highlight was “Miracle fruit,” a Bossa nova piece inspired by a fruit that makes everything eaten after it taste sweet. Molly’s latest EP, Mirage, is out now via Jagjaguwar.
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Photos and review by Hailey Collins (@haileycolllins)
