CHVRCHES Live Review!

Sunday night I had the privilege of attending indie-pop band CHVRCHES first
ever show in Florida at the Fillmore in Miami Beach. The Scottish trio, led by a
lovable and crush-worthy Lauren Mayberry, played their heart out to the energetic
and eager crowd.

CHVRCHES kicked off the show with an amped up “We Sink.” The set list was
rather predictable, as the band only had one album of material to work from. They
played the entire album barring two songs, then encored with the remaining two
songs. However, what was unexpected was how engaged the members of the band
were with the audience. A highlight of the night was when Mayberry took the time
to answer every question from a poster flipbook a fan held up from the middle of
the pit. Another was later in the concert when she gave us a childhood anecdote
from the only other time she had been in Miami—when she was two years old and
pooped in the hotel swimming pool.

Of course, those were only the spoken highlights. Musically, the show was
stellar, showcasing CHVRCHES particular penchant for upbeat electro-pop. Each
song sounded bigger and better than the next, all accompanied by a light show
inspired by the design of the cover of their debut album. Surprisingly a favorite of
mine was “Science/Visions,” which on the album is dark and brooding, but live felt
larger than life. Another highlight was “Under the Tide,” a song fronted not by
Mayberry but by band-mate Martin Doherty. His vocals started out a bit rough, but
he had a natural charisma that immediately raised the energy of the audience to its
peak. It was only logical that the band followed with single “The Mother We Share,”
which was an exhilarating way to end an amazing show.