Last Monday, Lauren Mayberry made her first stop in Texas on the Vicious Creature tour at White Oak Music Hall in Houston, with opener Cult of Venus.
Kicking off the evening was the one woman show of Cult of Venus. The stage was set with only a mic, keyboard and guitar but by no means was her set anything less than extraordinary. Finishing off with her newest single “Algorithm” was a perfect way to captivate the crowd and prepare them for what was to come.
Next up was the headliner of the evening, Lauren Mayberry.
Being the frontwoman of the synth pop band, CHVRCHES, for over the past decade, Lauren is no stranger to the stage and is more than likely a household name for many. Last December she released her debut solo album Vicious Creature and has been on her own solo tour since the beginning of this year.
Old and new fans of CHVRCHES or Lauren in general have had a positive reaction to her debut departure into the solo world. Her album doesn’t completely divert from the sound of CHVRCHES but is something entirely different at the same time. This album and tour very much felt like a more intimate dive into the mind of Lauren than we have ever seen up until this point.
Lauren’s Houston show was nothing short of electric the entire hour she was on stage. Opening the show with “Crocodile Tears”, the crowd was on their feet immediately. For the next hour Mayberry captivated he crowd and took them on 13 song journey that was unforgettable. She managed to play through the entirety of Vicious Creature as well as including her own cover of the classic song “Bitter Sweet Symphony” by The Verve.
Anyone that has ever attending a CHVRCHES show knows that Lauren is an expert at engaging with the crowd and including playful banter between songs. Houston’s show was no different as she sheepishly admitted to the crowd that when she was nineteen she took three separate online quizzes to determine which Sex In The City character she was (despite her best efforts to get what she wanted, she’s a Miranda) but it all makes sense now that she’s older.
Mayberry closed out her set with the songs “Oh, Mother” and “Sunday Best”, two completely different vibes. “Oh, Mother” is a slowed down ballad describing the ever changing relationship between a mother and child and how it decays, rebuilds and evolves over time. A heartbreaking but beautiful piece of work sure to invoke emotion in anyone. “Sunday Best” being the finale of the show brought the mood in the house right back up however, an upbeat, hopeful piece to close out the evening.
The Vicious Creature tour is nearing the end of the U.S. portion of it’s run, but hopefully more stops will be announced in the future. We highly suggest checking out a show if you can because it’s very unlikely such a powerhouse like Lauren will be playing such intimate venues in the future.
I’m a Houston based photographer. Currently living in College Station with my fiancé and our four cats. I’ve been attending and photographing shows around the Houston area for over a decade. Some of my favorite artists are Sleigh Bells, Magdalena Bay, Knocked Loose and so many more. I love attending shows and documenting the moment.
