BY BEA NORTON
After hours of waiting, standing in merch lines and shaking with excitement, fans watched as Mitski first appeared onstage at the Texas Trust CU Theatre on Sept. 14, 2024–prompting screams and cheers across the theater.
Mitski performed a variety of songs, largely focusing on her latest album “The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We.” She sang hits “My Love Mine All Mine,” “First Love/Late Spring” and “Washing Machine Heart” throughout the night, and fans sang along softly and proudly. Still, the set list consisted of very few of Mitski’s most popular songs, and it was clear that her performance followed her own desires and her own story.
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Set List
“Everyone” (Folk)
“Buffalo Replaced”
“Working for the Knife”
“The Frost”
“The Deal”
“Valentine, Texas” (Folk)
“I Bet on Losing Dogs”
“Thursday Girl” (Intro)
“Geyser”
“First Love/Late Spring”
“Star”
“Heaven”
“I Don’t Like My Mind”
“Old Friend”
“I Love Me After You”
“Happy”
“My Love Mine All Mine”
“Last Words of a Shooting Star”
“Pink in the Night” (Folk)
“I Don’t Smoke” (Folk)
“Lonesome Love”
“I’m Your Man”
“Fireworks”
“Nobody” (Encore)
“Washing Machine Heart” (Encore)
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Unlike “Laurel Hell,” Mitski’s previous release, “The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We” is largely a folk-rock album. Her setlist beautifully reflected the folk-atmosphere, and she featured various folk arrangements of older songs to complement the show.
One of the best parts of Mitski’s performances is her bold stage presence. The artist often incorporates complex, symbolic choreography into each song, emphasizing their meanings and allowing fans to resonate with them even further. She typically grounds her dancing in Butoh, a Japanese dance theater technique, while adding her own spin.
Mitski’s shows are more than concerts, as they often feel like more of a story. She performs choreography and moves around the stage rhythmically, following marks. She used multiple chairs throughout the show to represent different moments and sequences, telling a story with her body, voice and staging.
Shockingly, fans across the theater remained seated during the performance, but it ended up emphasizing Mitski’s storytelling and ability to perform a narrative rather than sing some songs. This also helped produce a positive atmosphere in the audience, as pictures were much easier, and everyone had a great view of the stage.
Some fans, however, became disruptive throughout the show by constantly screaming and squealing in between songs. They shouted various things at the artist, which she ended up acknowledging and poking a bit of fun at, telling fans they needed to be sure to “scream from their diaphragm” to not damage their vocal chords.
Despite this minor disturbance, Mitski’s performance was powerful and enjoyable throughout the entire night. Her concert was beautiful and delightful for any fan or casual listener.