Mitski’s Laurel Hell Tour

Mesmerizing music and impassioned choreography make Mitski’s comeback tour a night to remember

By: Abby Vela

After a two-year hiatus, alternative-pop artist Mitski returns to the stage with the release of her sixth album, “Laurel Hell.” The show felt less like a concert and more like performance art. The combination of emotionally complex songs and choreographed lyrical dancing was more captivating than anything I've experienced. 

The first thing I noticed about Mitski is that her voice is nearly the same life as her recordings, meaning just as mesmerizing and transcendental. The setlist pulled songs from her four latest albums, save for "Goodbye, My Danish Sweetheart" off her sophomore album. Mitski floated with ease between genres with her 80s-inspired latest albums, “Laurel Hell” and “Be the Cowboy,” and her two DIY-inspired albums, “Puberty 2” and “Bury Me at Makeout Creek.” Impressively, the crowd didn't miss a single beat either, singing every song in unison with a communal passion.

What made this concert so memorable were the visuals, specifically Mitski's choreography. Many of her songs tell emotional journeys, and her movement reflected those stories with the slightest gestures. During "Working for the Knife," a song about the pressures of the music industry, she used her microphone to mimic slitting her throat. In "Happy," she moves as if a marionette, being pulled to smile and, well, be happy. 

Music and dance worked in tandem to create an unbelievably emotionally charged experience for the audience that left me wanting more. If you haven't already, I couldn't recommend Mitski's “Laurel Hell” and the rest of her discography more.