What comes with Lucy Dacus is a perfectly curated aesthetic – she sets the scene beautifully with a backdrop that immediately evokes her recently released album, Forever is a Feeling, making the show feel like it’s being held in an art gallery or perhaps a cathedral. Usher Hall was the perfect choice to host this concert – or perhaps we should call it an experience. It’s an old venue, renowned for its grandeur both inside and out.
Lucy is one of the most exciting artists around, and rightly so. Alongside her incredible musical talent and the care she puts into the artistry surrounding her gigs, she also brings the added power of open and proud LGBTQ+ representation. She has never been shy about her sexuality, and in a world where these rights can never be taken for granted, it’s refreshing to see a young woman making art that represents the unrepresented and gives a voice to the voiceless.
With her growing fame and platform, she chose to share her stage and audience with Jasmine.4.t, an up-and-coming singer and songwriter from Manchester. Lucy has been championing Jasmine since the very beginning, even playing her songs to close pal Phoebe Bridgers. Jasmine, who is trans, took a moment during her set to speak powerfully about the rights of trans people being infringed upon across the globe. In a world as volatile as ours, where so much is happening, it’s saying that governments remain preoccupied with controlling the rights of an already vulnerable minority. Lucy and Jasmine’s joint advocacy deeply resonates with young audiences – myself included.
The setlist was one of real respect, spanning all of Lucy’s albums: from her most recent release to an electrifying electric guitar moment from her third album, Home Video. Fan requests were welcomed, and she dedicated a moment to her boygenius bandmates, performing ‘True Blue‘ during the encore. Jasmine joined her on stage for one song, ‘Bullseye‘ – originally sung with Hozier on the record. Lucy closed the show with perhaps her most famous piece, the one that launched her into stardom: ‘Night Shift‘.
