“Going Through It” – Eliza McLamb Album Review

Review by Emily Santos – 

I’ve never really considered going to a concert without knowing any songs of the featured artist, or what to do when I had to stand front row, swaying to the beat but still acutely aware of everyone singing around me. And yet, as I stared up in awe at this woman and her guitar, I realized I also didn’t consider how easily a stellar, colorful, and wholesome live performance could completely win me over.

Eliza McLamb is a twenty-three-year-old American indie rock musician from Carrboro, North Carolina. With more than sixty-eight thousand listeners on Spotify, she’s definitely making a name for herself with popular songs like “Mythologize Me,” “Glitter,” and “Anything You Want,” all from her most recent album titled Going Through It. Up until I saw her live, I knew only snippets of her work. “Mythologize Me” stood out to me the most as one of her strongest tracks, but I hadn’t gathered much other than that. However, when given the chance to see her live performance at the Music Hall of Williamsburg on her tour featuring her newest album on March 28, 2024, I couldn’t help but think I should give it a go. And boy, was it worth it.

The tour featured their opener, Mini Trees, a living-room pop artist that had previously toured with one of my personal favorite artists, Julien Baker. And what a spectacular and fitting opener they were. They performed several of their songs from their newest album, Burn Out. The indie-rock of it melded perfectly when followed by McLamb’s work, and it was such an enjoyable performance to have witnessed. Later in the show, during the encore, both the opener and McLamb’s band came together for one big country-esque performance, which was so endearing to see.

When McLamb walked onto the stage, I could physically feel the energy in the room shift. Anyone with eyes could tell how fond her fans are of her, through both their respect of her during the concert, and their enthusiasm for her performances. They knew exactly when to be calm, and when to start jumping and dancing! One of my favorite aspects of the concert was when McLamb performed her more upbeat songs, like “Modern Woman” and “Mythologize Me,” where you could immediately see the shift in the audience. I also especially appreciated how McLamb connected with her fans. Being in the front row meant I got to see a lot of her interactions. I watched her crouch down and sing to a group of girls a few people down from us, and when they reached out to embrace her, she grasped their hands with a smile. After, I heard one girl say breathlessly, “That was the biggest moment of my life.”

I saw how much her music means to people and what a kind soul she is, most especially regarding her fans. And despite the copious amounts of awkward front-row eye contact I was making with the entire band, this was probably one of the most wholesome concert experiences of my life. Additionally, her performances were incredible. She was backed by insanely talented musicians and a spectacular opener, all of which together created a lovely concert experience. Eliza McLamb has won me over, and if given the opportunity, I would happily see her live again.

Featured image from Amazon.