Pop Break Live: Caroline Polachek ‘Spiraling Spring Tour’ with Sudan Archives at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, CA on April 29, 2023
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If you haven’t heard of Caroline Polachek, it’s time to reevaluate your current Spotify playlist. After spending nearly a decade between 2008 and 2017 as a member of the indie-alt band Chairlift, experimenting with a couple of solo albums under pseudonyms, writing a song for Beyonce, and opening for Dua Lipa on tour, Polacheck has taken over the indie-pop world in a real way. With her newest record Desire, I Want To Turn Into You receiving wide-spread acclaim from both critics and fans, Polachek has made a major mark on music both in the studio and live on stage. And her performance at Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall – along with a few surprise guests including Charli XCX and Weyes Blood – proves she’s a force to be reckoned with in the indie and pop music world.
Before taking the stage at her sold-out show at Shrine Auditorium, Polachek’s evening opened with experimental violinist and singer Sudan Archives performing tracks from her newest album, Natural Brown Prom Queen. Wearing a black leather get-up of chains, silver rings, and big boots, Sudan Archives aka Brittney Denise Parks danced across the huge stage with a violin and bow in her hand, and a satchel of back-up bows strapped to her back like a punk-rock archer.
A pocket of fans close to the stage sang along with every word and Parks very nearly joined them in the crowd, falling to her knees and head-banging along with a pedal playing her electro-inspired strings on loop. Later in the night, Sudan Archives joined Polachek during “Blood and Butter,” and the crowd welcomed her with open arms the moment she fell to the ground and played her violin while rolling around on her back. What Lizzo has done for the flute is what Sudan Archives is doing for the violin, and watching her punk-rock approach to the instrument is an exciting sight to behold.
Soon after Parks’ performance, a projected clock shone onstage, counting down to the second Polachek would reveal herself to the extremely excitable crowd. In dramatic fashion, Polachek began the night with the impressive octave-shifting acapella that opens her 2023 record on the track, “Welcome to My Island.” The silhouettes of her back-up band against a red-orange setting sun felt reminiscent of Lorde’s Solar Power tour, and the presentation of the stage and song felt just as powerful. Polachek, who could easily be mistaken for a professional dancer, moved across the stage with complete ease, striking poses with every meaningful lyric. The crowd reacted to nearly every move she made and occasionally even drowned her out with their own singing along.
Fans of Desire, I Want To Turn Into You will be pleased to know that the record managed to sound even better in a live environment. On tracks like “Pretty In Possible” and “Bunny Is A Rider,” Polachek fuses an indie sensibility with big pop sounds that come to life in a transformative way. With Desire being an unequivocally vulnerable record, it’s impressive that Polachek’s passionate lyrics manage to emotionally hit even harder when performed live. When she sang, “Cause every spiral brings me back into your arms again / So no regrets / Cause you’re my sunset” on the flamenco-inspired “Sunset,” shadows and lights danced across the stage in a haunting way. Polachek would raise her arms and create unique silhouettes in the darkness and fog, bringing an atmosphere to the auditorium that felt so special.
Always down for theatrics, fans in Los Angeles became practically unglued when Polachek brought out collaborator and friend Charlie XCX to perform her re-mixed rendition of “Welcome to My Island,” which manages to completely transform Polachek’s original into a dance club track while still maintaining the heart of the song. The two smiled and danced together to the track, which made its live debut at Coachella just last month. Emotions remained high when Polachek dove into fan-favorite “Pang” from her first solo album under the same name, and perfectly segwayed into the second surprise guest: Weyes Blood. The indie singer-songwriter known for her angelic-folk approach joined Polachek for “Butterfly Net,” a stripped back track that’s as raw as an open wound; the pairing truly couldn’t have been more perfect.
Other highlights of the evening include the Haim-esque power ballad “So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings,” the deeply infectious singalong “Smoke,” and the beautifully haunting “Door.” Caroline Polachek feels like the unique type of performer you don’t want to miss; even if you don’t know her music well, it’s not hard to recognize how much she gives herself away in her music and performance. A hopeless romantic at heart, Polachek throws her soul and body into every lyric and breath when performing live; it’s no wonder that all her fans connect so deeply with her. Run, don’t walk to catch her next time she comes to your town – you won’t regret it.
