Sometimes the good guys win. This is my feeling with Chvrches. I don’t know why, but I root for them. When I first saw them at SXSW three years ago, they were a band with a few singles and a lot of buzz. They had to play the Spin stage at Stubbs and being relatively new, they seemed timid and quite shy in front of the rowdy open bar crowd (who were there for Kendrick Lamar, nonetheless). Three years and two excellent albums later, Chvrches returned to Spin at Stubbs and were the headliners of the day. That, my friends, is growth
Not only have they grown in fame, but man, has Lauren Mayberry grown as a performer. Leaping onto the stage to start the set, Mayberry was no longer the singer who wanted your attention, she has become a performer that demanded it. Between running between spots on the stage, dancing and twirling and delivering her vocals, Mayberry has made the transition to bonafide star.
The funny thing is, Chvrches don’t really need that star quality that much because their tracks are really really good. Building off the success of their debut album, their latest album Every Open Eye was also full of amazingly good tracks. Given the live blistering beats and the performance dynamics, these tracks jump at you live. My favorite track, “Clearest Blue” was especially lively and the Depeche Mode sounding payoff of the track had the grounds shaking from so many people dancing.
This band is only going to get bigger. I’m glad I was there at the start(or almost at the start)