For some, it was a typical Tuesday in the city of Pittsburgh, but not for Tessa Violet fans. Performing at Mr. Smalls Theatre on September 27, Tessa had her fans moving all night long. Opening the night was the band Daysormay from Vernon, Canada. Let me tell you: they have some amazing stage presence. They knew how to stay engaged with their fans and were sure to feel present with them. During their performance, the lead singer made his way up to the balcony to perform a song. This was shocking for the people who were enjoying their drinks up top!
Second to the stage before Tessa Violet herself was UK artist Will Joseph Cook. He started by addressing the elephant in the room at the start of his show that his outfit makes him look like a minion. He then assured us that it wouldn’t take away from his performance. Discovering an artist through their opening acts is one of the best ways to find new music. Not knowing who either of these opening acts were beforehand, I can proudly say they both have at least one new follower on Spotify! Will Joseph Cook has an indie pop essence that could be in the soundtrack to a coming of age movie. Also, he made a group chat on instagram for the fans to find friends. Here, they could find people with their same interests to chat, and maybe plan to see more shows together.
Soon after the opening performances, it was time for the main act of the night. Tessa Violet opened her performance with “Yes Mom,” a newer single that has the perfect vibe for opening a show. Her fans were immediately singing along and dancing. When it comes to engaging with fans, Violet really knows how to make everyone feel included at her shows. Throughout the show, Violet took moments in between songs to share stories from her experiences on tour. Before performing her song “Bad Ideas,” she shared a signed vinyl record of her “Bad Ideas” album with a fan near the front. She filled the night with vivacity as she mixed high and low energy songs into her performance, giving the crowd moments to catch their breath.
In the middle of her performance, Violet invited opener Will Joseph Cook back on stage to perform his most recent single, featuring Tessa Violet, “Gummy”. Then, she welcomed her guitarist Dante Cimadamore to perform the song “Smoketown,” that she wrote in collaboration with Cavetown. After everyone wiped their tears from listening the sad song, it was time to re-energize the crowd with the songs, “Games”, “Honest”, and “Bad B****”. “Games” is a personal favorite of mine, and is the song that drew me in from Tessa’s opening performance in Pittsburgh when she opened for Cavetown this past April.
When Violet announced her headline tour, I knew I’d have to see her again. Since that first opening set I saw, I knew that her headlining set would be insane. Finishing up the night with her newest single, “Kitchen Song,” fans came together to create a colorful light show by placing pieces of paper over their flashlights. After that, she played her hit song “Crush” and immediately, bubbles filled the room. Who doesn’t love bubbles?
This performance shows how you can bring fun inclusiveness into music. Tessa Violet is a wonderful artist and welcoming person. Her shows truly are a safe place for her fans to come together and share their love for her music.