Being human in public with Girlpool

Girlpool exploded onto the indie scene with their debut album Before the World Was Big (2015), and have developed a devoted following in the years since. Their sophomore album, Powerplant (2017), sees the addition of a drummer to what was originally a two-piece band of Harmony Tividad and Cleo Tucker switching between bass and guitar. Though both Tividad and Tucker are in their early 20s, they are both wise beyond their years. The band is a lyrical force to be reckoned with, and when they were booked at the Great American Music Hall as part of Noise Pop’s 2018 festival lineup, it was clear that it would be an unmissable show.

I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about the openers, who were all impressive in their own right. Special Explosion started the night with dreamy and intoxicating pop and Rose Droll, the second band of the night, used a combination of circular drum patterns, rhythmic variety in the lead guitar, and half-sung half-rapped chants to create a witchy aesthetic that highlighted the lead singer’s unique voice. The final opener, Kevin Sullivan or Field Medic, also came through in spectacular fashion. Sullivan, sporting a sort-of mohawk/mullet combination, was accompanied only by a tape recorder with some pre-recorded loops which he affectionately referred to as his drummer. His lyrics were self-reflective and vulnerable, especially on the track “OTL,” which describes a painful search for love.

Photo by Lucy Eaton

I’m now about two hundred words into the article and I still haven’t properly talked about the headliner, but the fact is that the people who a band associates themselves with are a huge factor in the concert experience. It goes beyond opening bands — the audience that a band associates themselves with plays a huge role too. So when I saw the person in front of my friend, apropos of nothing, asked if she could see okay or if she wanted them to move, it became clear that the audience was there not only to have the best time that they could, but also to make sure everyone around them was comfortable, which I think speaks admirably to the values of the band.

All this to say that even if Girlpool was just okay, I still would’ve had a great night. But they weren’t just okay — they fucking rocked. Their songs have a much punkier edge when played live. Tucker pushes their voice through their teeth, acting as a perfect compliment to Tividad, who by contrast seems to be in a trance when she sings with her eyes closed, calmly swaying. Though Tucker’s voice sounds appreciably different now, the new lower harmonies sound fantastic and add a new and comfortable dimension to some familiar songs. Furthermore, Tucker added some more technical riffs to their old songs, which again served to revitalize the familiar. The duo compliment each other well: Tividad lays back when Tucker is shredding, and plays more complicated, intricate riffs when it serves the performance. All the textural changes in their more shoegaze-influenced tracks came through amazingly live as well, with my personal highlight being “Soup.”

When they played their old tracks, the drummer and backup guitarist stepped away and left just the duo onstage. Both were excellent musicians in their own right, but some of these moments where Tucker and Tividad were the only two on the stage were the most memorable. Their original style does shine through with the full band, but when left alone onstage the chemistry between Tucker and Tividad is entirely back. The duo spent their time in between songs telling stories and trying to make each other laugh, which resulted in a rendition of, “I Like That You Can See It” where neither could make it through more than four lines without stepping back to giggle. This performance was in equal parts hilarious and endearingly earnest. Towards the tail end of the show, Tividad choked on her water which led to a brief intermission while Tucker rushed to her aid. After she’d recovered, Tividad stepped forward to the mic. “I felt that in so many places” she said before again ducking back to laugh. “It’s so weird being human in public.”

Follow Girlpool on Instagram and Bandcamp to stay up to date with their latest releases.

Written by Walker Spence

Photos by Lucy Eaton