In addition to closing the first day of Fun Fun Fun Fest, Glasgow electronic outfit Chvrches performed the final date of its U.S. tour on Friday. It’s been over a year since the threepiece stopped through for a set at ACL Fest, and the benefits of the interim on the road were evident.
Where Lauren Mayberry was once stationary and drowning in sound, the singer now stomps across the stage fist-pumping her way through cuts like “Gun.” She’s finally accrued all the necessary charisma for a vocalist in a largely electronic band. Having recently trotted out its sophomore album Every Open Eye, whose “Leave a Trace” and “Never Ending Circles” arrive high octane, Chvrches has smoothed out all the kinks.
There are still flashes of the former band. Slow jams like “Tether,” which root Mayberry and stop the constant pulse of lights and bass, expose the weaknesses in the band’s live set. Mayberry chirps clear as a bell, but her delicate soprano doesn’t have the same punch as veteran electronic divas before her (looking at you, Peaches).
Still, it’s futile to resist her charm. Or Chvrches’ danceability, for that matter. The singer spoke fondly of the band’s breakout South by Southwest performances in 2013, and was clearly grateful for Chvrches’ musical milestones in Austin.
This article appears in November 6 • 2015.