On Wednesday, March 4, MisterWives stopped at the High Noon Saloon in Madison, on their Our Own House tour, with openers Handsome Ghost and BØRNS. I had never been to this concert venue before, but I immediately became accustomed to it and liked the intimacy and closeness that came across even though it was a fairly large stage.
Before the concert began I was very curious to see who would attend the show, considering these artists are all generally alternative, indie and pop, but also because the performers are in their early twenties. In fact Mandy Lee, the lead singer of MisterWives, is 22 years old, and Garrett Borns, lead singer of BØRNS, is only 23. This was exactly the type of audience which arrived to cheer and sing along that night. With a few older adults sprinkled throughout, college students and recent graduates filled the High Noon Saloon.
Handsome Ghost started out the night calm and exuding warmth. The best way I could describe their sound is electronic acoustic. With the use of guitars and harmonious voices, this group really approaches their performance uniquely and with a likable sound. I wasn’t as familiar with this group as I was with MisterWives and BØRNS, but they have definitely turned me into a fan and they were the perfect group to start out the night.
In order for the artists to go back and forth from backstage they had to walk through the entire crowd. So it was sort of funny to watch as Handsome Ghost left the stage while the musicians in BØRNS were escorted right next to me; I brushed shoulders with Borns himself.
BØRNS was amazing as expected. When the band was putting together their EP, “Candy,” they wanted their songs to be lighthearted and happy, which is exactly what they delivered. Borns’ high voice wafted over the audience and made everyone feel light and airy. They included a few songs that I wasn’t as familiar with, but that didn’t stop me from singing along. If I could listen to them sing endlessly I would, and there is no doubt in my mind that they’ll be headlining their own tour very soon.
Of course I was excited for MisterWives to perform and from the very second Lee grabbed the microphone and began belting “Our Own House,” the first song on their album, I was truly captivated. My favorite thing about MisterWives is every single song on this album is actually perfect.
Now while some people may think I am exaggerating, I’d like to make it clear that I am not. Imagine yourself standing in a room with a crowd of people and everyone is waving their arms, moving their hips, laughing, singing and cheering. This is exactly what was happening during this performance. After each song, MisterWives seemed to be more and more impressed by the audience, surprised that we would be giving them this much energy.
On a humble note, Lee, the lead singer, kept sharing her appreciation for us and her grin was contagious. There was so much love and positivity in the room that this concert was a huge mood booster. The audience showed them a good time, and I hope they decide to come back, so I can see them again. Towards the end of their set, they performed their hit that many people know them for, “Reflections,” and covered “Uptown Funk.” They played around with Lee trying to match the pitch and rhythms that Jesse Blum would perform on the trumpet and many other instruments. All in all, this was a very well put together concert and I’d highly recommend trying to catch them soon.
