Ethel Cain Concert Review
Trevor Dunning
Rain splattered across my skin, hazy lights from the marquee filled my vision, the smell of cigarettes and marijuana in the air. The line lead into the sidewalk causing passersby and people in restaurants to ogle. I stood by myself, barely being able to grab one ticket from the artist presale but it didn’t matter, I was going to see Ethel Cain live.
Ethel Cain performed at The Palace Theatre in St. Paul on Sept. 19 on the second to last stop of “The Willoughby Tucker Forever Tour” to a sold out crowd. The tour was sold out at nearly every performance. The main setlist contains songs from Cain’s most recent album, “Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You” and most recent EP “Perverts,” both of which were released this year. Fans of Cain may be sad to hear that only two songs are performed from her debut album, “Preachers Daughter” during the encore, including fan favorite “Crush.”
A cross sits at centerstage on a raised platform with two walls of greenery placed across from each other. The tension in the room is thick and murky, waiting for Cain to come out on stage. The lights go dark. A heavy cord strikes the piano. We are sucked into Ethel’s world.
The show began with “Willoughby's Theme,” an instrumental track from her most recent album. Strobe lights pulse as the music picks up, in an instant Cain is on stage in a gothic white dress. She doesn’t do anything, just stands there. The audience begins to cheer.
With a smooth transition into the next song, “Janie” the concert began with a good start. Energy was high and the audience listened intently to Cain's every word.
Throughout the concert Cain stayed planted at the center of the stage on a raised platform, leaving it only during the encore. Some may think this would lead to a boring concert but the choice suited Cain’s music and stage presence. Cain manages to keep audiences engaged through her vocal talents and production. This is made clear during her “Perverts” set in the middle of the show.
This set took the life out of me, even more than it did Cain in “Preacher’s Daughter.” She performed the songs “Vacillitator” and “Oanist.” This is the part of the night that I was least excited for. I hadn’t listened to “Perverts” all that much and didn’t think that I would enjoy it but when the heavy bass started at the beginning of “Vacillitator,” I knew I was wrong. I could feel the songs in my body, I felt like I was going to throw up. There is no way of describing the experience of hearing those songs. The exceptionality of this set was further built upon by the lighting and the way it matched the music. It was by far the peak of the night.
The show was closed out by “The Tempest” and “Waco, Texas.” It was followed by an encore of three songs. This section let Cain show off her vocal abilities. The notes she was able to belt and run she was able to do. The moment that is etched into my brain was the moment in “A House in Nebraska” when the guitar swells and Cain begins wallowing out the most heartbreaking notes I’d heard in my life.
“The Willoughby Tucker Forever Tour” was excellent. It was heartbreaking and a beautiful showcase of the music Cain has released this year.