Lindsey Jordan came out on stage looking like a rock/pop star from another era with what looked like a leather jacket and a lot of browns and rust colored pants. And for someone performing many songs from a fairly heavy record, Valentine, she seemed to be very upbeat and quick with the playful gestures on stage and with her band and lighthearted quips with the audience that really made the performance uplifting. There was a casual and free exchange with the audience who were attentive and supportive, a kind of rapport that set the tone for the show and somehow seemed to exist for the opening act as well.
Philadelphia-based indie rock band Joy Again opened the show and it seemed as though more than a few people in attendance were familiar with its music. Considering the group has been active since 2014 and roughly the same time frame as Snail Mail. Initially it hit like some sort of post-Mac Demarco, bedroom pop-esque band but then there was a keyboard player and a guy playing Moog and as the set went on the band’s ability to stretch out beyond initial impressions made its music more interesting and enveloping. Evidently Moog/keys player Zachary Tyndall evidently has a brother who lives in Denver and in attendance and after giving that shout out Tyndall took lead vocals for a spirited cover of “My Own Worst Enemy” by Lit.
Snail Mail’s set list drew liberally from both Lush and Valentine beginning with “Adore U.” Although there seemed to be a sense of camaraderie and good humor on stage, Jordan ably brought the intensity to her vocal performance when the moment called for expressing the strong feelings that undoubtedly inspired the song as if reliving the song but being able to let go of that moment. And the singer’s ability to convey a broad range of emotions was impressive. It was as though Jordan summoned these memories and living in them temporarily whether those feelings have a traditionally strong expression or as in “Ben Franklin” a melancholic acceptance. All executed with a fluid command of and confidence one might not expect from songs that articulate trauma and hurt so poignantly.
Between songs Jordan free formed the banter almost like a comedian interacting with people. Before playing “Light Blue” along with the band off stage Jordan reacted to the enthusiasm of the crowd saying, “Come on., don’t gas an old lady up. You’re gonna make an old lady cry. Just kidding. I don’t see myself as an old lady.” Later when Jordan asked what day it was, Sunday or Monday, someone said it was Easter and the singer joked, “Bad Catholic. I didn’t come here with an Easter agenda.” In general it was a lively and charming performance that kept your attention throughout including the encore that included “Mia” and ended with “Pristine.” Given the aesthetic of the band it felt like some kind of modern take on classic pop and rock except that Lindsey Jordan’s songs are so vulnerable, open and raw it felt like a collective purging of anxiety for an evening.
Queen City Sounds and Art 
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