The Marble Factory is alive with anticipation. As Lucy Dacus takes to the stage, the crowd expels the breath they have been holding and muffled cheers from behind masks. The first chord of ‘Triple Dog Dare’ strikes up, and the excitement in the room erupts – and it’s just the start of an excellent show from Dacus and her band.
The Virginian singer’s return to the UK after COVID was triumphant. Having spent most of her American tour on a couch due to a herniated disc, and then cancelling her first four UK shows because she caught COVID, it must have felt like as much of a relief to her as it was to us that she was there, standing on a stage in Bristol, singing amid strobing lights.
The night began with a fantastic opening set by Bristol-native Fenne Lily, who set the tone for an evening of sad-girl bangers. There was a real sense of warmth and togetherness in the room – as Lily commented ‘some people are arseholes, even down South, but you guys seem nice’.
Dacus’ setlist ran through most of her new album, Home Video, with some old favourites thrown in. Highlights included ‘VBS’, a track about Bible camp and self-discovery delivered with Dacus’ trademark wit and candour – it felt like she was diarising to a group of friends at points, and everyone in the crowd was hooked on her every word. ‘Brando’ had a similar feel, with cutting lyrics that the whole crowd echoed back.
During ‘Thumbs’, no doubt the most emotional track on the new album, the entire room was silent (apart from some sniffles, me included). The gravity of the song was so palpable – Dacus’ mournful voice soared above stripped back instrumentation. I was glad that she performed ‘perhaps the kindest song we have for you guys’ straight afterwards – ‘Going Going Gone’, about an ill-fated childhood crush. It felt like we all needed a pick-me-up after such an emotional experience – ‘a real bummer’.
Soon, the setlist turned to ‘I Don’t Wanna Be Funny Anymore’, a classic from Dacus’ 2016 album, No Burden. Dacus revealed that the song was written when she was a teen, which is truly impressive given the wit of its lyrics. Soon, the night was drawing to an end – but not before Dacus and the band pulled another banger out of their sleeves. The opening chords to ‘Night Shift’ elicited a huge reaction from the crowd, and phones were pulled out of pockets to document one of the singer’s best-loved tracks. The last couple of choruses, accompanied by blazing electric guitar, were thrilling, and everyone was screaming along.
The evening wrapped up with an encore cover of Springsteen’s ‘Dancing in the Dark’, a firm favourite, and a fun opportunity to boogie with friends. Finally, Dacus’ band left the stage, and she approached the mic. She explained that she was going to play an unreleased song, and the excitement in the room was tangible. Everyone respected her rule that no one was allowed to film, and we all watched, rapt, as she accompanied herself on guitar and sang a mournful, nostalgic track about missed opportunities. It was the perfect end to a beautiful night.
As we left the venue, tears rolling down our cheeks, I felt so lucky to have been in the room and in the presence of an artist whose music is so honest and raw. Listening to it live was enthralling and deeply affecting, and I’ll always remember it as a night that felt like a deep breath out after two years of COVID restrictions.
Words by Caitlin Barr
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