Japanese Breakfast performed three sold out shows at the Salt Shed in Chicago during their Melancholy Tour, and we were able to catch the final show on Friday, May 2nd. 3,600 fans packed the previous Morton Salt facility turned indoor/outdoor concert venue for an unforgettable evening.
Starting the night off was Ginger Root, an indie soul trio from California. Integrating a multimedia aspect to their set, fans were able to dance along while watching as their in-house camera man projected live video of the performance onto adjacent screens, often mixing it into colorful shapes in addition to short, pre-taped skits that played between songs. Utilizing various synths and a rigged-up telephone converted to a microphone, Ginger Root proved that their unique style was more than enough to warm up the packed audience before the main event. One fan even created nearly 1,000 custom guitar picks for the band!
Filling the stage with fog and uncovering a large seashell in the middle, Japanese Breakfast took to the stage. Singer Michelle Zauner entered the dark aura with a lantern, lighting it before grabbing her guitar and taking a seat inside the seashell. Her bandmates sat on the steps surrounding her, launching into “Here Is Someone,” the first track off their most recent album For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women).
While their newest album explores darker themes, experiencing them live is anything but dark. Zauner often had a huge smile plastered on her face, encouraging the attendees to sing with her and jump around. The night was dreamy, characterized by the gorgeous set pieces that adorned the stage in addition to the aforementioned seashell. It felt as though the band were part of a Renaissance painting.
After performing a mix of old and new songs, including a cover of “Boyish” from Zauner and bassist Devin Craige’s previous band Little Big League, the night ended with Cameron Lew of Ginger Root joining Japanese Breakfast for the tour debut of “Everybody Wants To Love You.” Before exiting the stage, Zauner blew out the lantern that was lit at the start of the show, signaling the close of the night.
The Melancholy Tour continues through May 16th before picking back up in August through September.
GINGER ROOT
