LIVE REVIEW: Snail Mail at Thalia Hall

Lindsey Jordan of Snail Mail may be young, but she definitely knows how to hold a crowd.

With one critically-acclaimed album under her belt (Lushreleased in 2018), the 20-year-old headlined a sold-out Pitchfork Music Festival Aftershow on Saturday, July 20 in anticipation for her set at the festival the following day.

Announcing that Thalia Hall was one of her favorite venues in America, the crowd was eager to give some good energy for Jordan to feed off of. No matter what song she played, the crowd eagerly sung all of Jordan’s lyrics back to her, sometimes even louder than her amplified voice. Between her powerful vocals and guitar riffs, you could tell that Jordan was made to perform. Her excitement exuded as the crowd bopped along to fan favorites like “Pristine” and “Heat Wave.”

Each song she played was equal to — if not better — the recorded original. The live versions were a stunning example of the band’s harmonic interplay and Jordan’s angsty songwriting. At the end of the show, she performed “Stick” by herself and enlisted Sophie Allison of Soccer Mommy for a rendition of the Goo Goo Dolls’ “Iris.”

Chicago singer-songwriter and activist Tasha supported Snail Mail for this show. She released her debut album Alone at Last in late 2018. Tasha’s lyrics celebrate Blackness and queerness while her music combines elements of R&B and folk, making her own unique sound. Although the crowd was there for Snail Mail, Tasha captivated them through her angelic voice and cool demeanor. She definitely solidified herself as one of Chicago’s best.