Written By Nathan Robinson
Photo via @themomentary
Resonant shoegaze meets dreamy indie pop with Japanese Breakfast’s recent release For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women), which was the main focus of their recent tour that passed through The Momentary in Bentonville. The electrifying stage presence and crowd work of Japanese Breakfast’s Michelle Zauner paired with the nuwave fashion that adorned the band and the crowd created a benevolent and cool-toned atmosphere that washed across the outdoor lawn on the cool October evening.
The concert was opened by SPELLLING, an electronic and indie-pop one-woman performer. SPELLLING set the tone of the night by performing electronic and looped tracks accompanied by EDM-esque live drum pads, all while layering live vocals with power and precision. The set was simple: people socializing throughout the gardens and lawn, getting food, all while the powerful yet dream-like psychedelic-electronica washed over the stadium.
As SPELLLING finished their set and the Japanese Breakfast set was revealed, the thing that stood out to me the most was the ginormous clam shell that sat center stage, with a large pearl adorned in the center. As Michelle Zauner got on stage and opened the set, the lawn that had people sprawled throughout quickly became a condensed crowd at the front of the stage, with people singing along and friends holding each other’s arms. The cold weather along with the dreamy sad music created an atmosphere that, while ‘melancholy’, was coupled with appreciation for the music and those around.
Cycling through new songs from For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women), such as Little Girl or Magic Mountain, JB also cycled back through older classics, such as Boyish and Be Sweet. The band traded keyboard and synth solos that were electronic and dancy, spinning guitar solos that were reminiscent of 80’s rock, and even saxophone solos that were pop-like while also just a bit jazzy. Throughout all of the music, Michelle Zauner was interactive with the crowd, frequently going up to the crowd to say hi and sing along with them. Additionally, she utilized several stage props throughout. In the middle of her set, she climbed within the giant Clam Shell and sang along with the crowd as the spot lights focussed on her. And, at the “end” of their set, Zauner blew out a lantern that she had been holding during her last song. Of course, they had to play an encore, and the crowd cheered and sang along as the band rejoined the stage to perform Be Sweet.
The concert was one of the most memorable performances that I’ve been to, through staging, musical integrity and prowess, as well as amazing audience participation and the occasional one-liner by Zauner. The performance was a dreamy and electrifying night, showcasing strong stage presences by both SPELLLING and Japanese Breakfast. The crowd laughed, sang along, cried, and there were endless smiles as the crowds poured out of the open outdoor venue into the night once more.