Saturday night, Canadian electronic pop chanteuse Claire Boucher, better known as Grimes, filled Emo’s East with her dark, synthy, pop. To be honest, Grimes is an artist that I’ve greatly enjoyed on record, but before the show, I had no knowledge of the type of folks that constitute her fanbase. I have seen some eccentric crowds at live shows in Austin, TX, but this show may have topped all of them.
Finger-tip lit gloves, brightly colored hair, and costumes abounded, not to mention the penchant for sinister, strange, Japanese-esque artwork not dissimilar from the cover of Grimes’ newest album Visions. Cyberpunk may not be the most appropriate word, but it’s certainly the one that comes to mind for me. Boucher positioned herself center stage behind a trio of tables laden with synths, keys, and pedals. Flanking her on either side were members from the opening band Myths, a female duo consisting of Vancouver residents Lief Hall and Quinne Rodgers.
All around the trio, glowing neon flowers littered the stage. Boucher wore an oversized button up shirt in the likeness of the American flag, while Rodgers and Hall draped themselves in plastic and wore shirts painted with glowing skeletal ribcages. At points, gazing skyward, the pair appeared as twin dead Virgin Marys, surrounded by ornate flora. Grimes’ set delivered fan favorites such as the blissful “Oblivion” from her most recent critically-acclaimed album Visions.
Earlier in the night, the elaborately costumed Elite Gymnastics performed a set filled with ideosyncratic stage banter and frenetic dance beats. I was psyched for the show, but didn’t quite know what to expect. At the end, the visually surreal staging and upbeat songs made for a great Friday night.
