SHOW REVIEW: Weyes Blood @ The Greek Theatre
Weyes Blood
A new solar system has been discovered in Griffith Park. Weyes Blood electrified The Greek Theatre on October 4, wrapping up her 2023 In Holy Flux tour. Surrounded by pine trees and the Hollywood Hills, Natalie Mering, who performs as Weyes Blood, enchanted concertgoers to a Wednesday night of worship.
The 35-year-old singer was welcomed back to her native Los Angeles by a crowd eager to be transported to another galaxy. Mering’s alluring vocals coupled with the ambiance of a legendary Los Angeles venue sent audience members straight into space. Opening her set with the pandemic-inspired anthem “It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody,” Mering’s ethereal stage presence shined the second she took the stage.
Though performing for a crowd of 6,000, Mering’s interactions with her audience transformed The Greek from a massive amphitheater to the most intimate of stages. Seeing Weyes Blood live feels like catching up with an old friend; sharing anecdotes with her audience allowed Mering to bond with listeners on a spiritual level. Mering’s anecdote about riding the Santa Monica Pier ferris wheel brought me back to spontaneous Expo Line trips to the beach shortly after my move to LA.
The mid-show performance of the song “God Turn Me Into A Flower” marked Weyes Blood’s debut of striking new visuals, created by acclaimed filmmaker Adam Curtis. It’s no surprise that an artist with a song called “Movies” would incorporate her love for all things cinematic during her concert. A montage featuring everything from embraces to laughs to tears played out on LED screens as Mering serenaded a digital-age dwelling audience. Some of the clips included in Curtis’ visuals were a bit uncanny, though nothing at The Greek could be scarier than the group of Elf Bar wielding 30 something-year-olds sitting in front of me. “God Turn Me Into A Flower” seamlessly transitioned into “Andromeda,” Weyes Blood’s best-known song from her 2019 album Titanic Rising. Acoustic guitar in hand, Mering asked listeners to “treat [her] right, [she’s] still a good man’s daughter,” as friends and loved ones danced to the ballad’s countryish twang.
Natalie Mering’s show at The Greek proves her to be the performer of a generation. Timeless songwriting lies in the heart of Weyes Blood. Whether regarding social alienation, climate anxiety, failed relationships or even my love for logging films on Letterboxd, I’ve definitely written a Weyes Bloodesque song in my phone’s notes app. Just 1,000 times less eloquent than Mering could have worded it.
– St. Audrey AKA Audrey Serrano