Getting To Know CHVRCHES
CHVRCHES is an electronic synth-pop band that was formed ten years ago in 2011. This group originates from Glasgow, Scotland, and is made up of three members: Lauren Mayberry, Iain Cook, and Martin Doherty. Since their debut album, The Bones Of What You Believe, CHVRCHES‘ sound has become known and cherished worldwide. Some of their most popular tracks include “The Mother We Share“, “Miracle“, and “Good Girls“.
This winter, CHVRCHES embarked on their first Screen Violence tour which traveled throughout the United States. Despite having to overcome the various obstacles of touring during a global pandemic, including Iain coming down with COVID-19 himself, CHVRCHES has had an extremely successful tour thus far.
CHVRCH Service At The Mission Ballroom
The Mission Ballroom is a new venue in Colorado that opened up in the fall of 2019. This beautiful venue is located in the River North, or RiNo, a neighborhood of Denver. With a seating design that allows for unrivaled sightlines, various large bars to reduce wait times, and a moveable stage to adjust the venue’s capacity, The Mission Ballroom truly focuses on the experience of every single attendee.
On Wednesday, December 8th, CHVRCHES brought their Screen Violence tour to The Mission Ballroom. For this show, ticketholders could choose to either rideshare, take the light rail, or drive to the venue and pay to park in the parking garage or one of the surrounding lots. Percurrent state and county regulations regarding COVID-19, all attendees had to show proof of full COVID-19 vaccination before entering the venue. Once inside, ticketholders pass an artist merchandise booth in the lobby. Then, attendees have the choice to go upstairs to the top of the seating section or stay downstairs to make their way to the large floor area.
Donna Missal: A Vocal Powerhouse
When New Jersey-based Donna Missal walked onto the stage at 8:00 PM, the floor area of the venue was just barely starting to fill up. On the other hand, the tiered seating in the back of the venue was full. Donna Missal was accompanied by her drummer, Marian, and her guitarist and keyboardist, Emily. For her performance, her logo remained on the large LED wall behind the stage. The simple stage setup allowed the audience to really pay attention to the music. In fact, hardly anyone in the entire venue was taking pictures or videos on their phones. Donna’s stage presence was absolutely electric, and perfectly matched each song that was performed. Throughout her performance, a handful of audience members could be seen singing along with her.
At one point in the middle of her set, Donna was introducing her band and crew and she pointed out that Dan, her sound guy, was the only guy in her crew. “Good job for withholding the patriarchy,” she said jokingly. She also thanked CHVRCHES for having them on tour. Additionally, she had to take a moment to catch her breath in the middle of her set. “It’s so hard to breathe here. I don’t know why. That was a joke. I do know why” she said.
If you haven’t yet heard of Donna Missal, definitely go check out her music! Her vocal range, strength, and precision hitting each note live are simply mind-blowing.
CHVRCHES’ “Violent Delights”
After a brief changeover, CHVRCHES finally made their way onto the stage. Lauren was on the front of the stage, and Iain and Martin were on elevated, illuminated platforms behind her. A huge LED wall behind them played everchanging visuals, adding to the aesthetic of the performance. Right away, they opened with “He Said, She Said“ and the venue overflowed with energy. For almost every song that they played, the audience was singing and dancing along. A crowd favorite at the beginning of their set was “Leave A Trace“.
Shortly after getting the show started, Lauren took a brief pause to say that “tour cold is still a thing” and had to use throat spray in order to keep going. She said that if the audience heard a random noise come out of her while she was singing, at least they’ll know it’s a live set. However, she sounded fantastic throughout the entire performance.
Over the course of their show, Lauren had two outfit changes. During these quick changes, the band played instrumental interludes before she ran back onto the stage. The energy remained high for the entire set, especially for “Science/Visions“, “Miracle“, and “Never Say Die“. For the encore, Lauren came out covered in fake blood which made for a really visually appealing final memory of the night.
A Night To Remember
Overall, CHVRCHES and Donna Missal put on an amazing show. From the stage presence of every artist and performer to the incredible vocals and crowd interactivity, this was most definitely a night to remember. CHVRCHES allowed everyone in the audience to be able to connect with each other and also with the band. Live music will always be so special because it brings people together in a way that nothing else can.
CHVRCHES still has a few shows left of the United States on their Screen Violence tour. In March, they are set to embark on the next leg of their tour in Europe. For tickets and more info about the band, click here.
Photos by Brandon Colby
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