Slow Pulp Bring Melodie to Austin

American indie rock band Slow Pulp brought their tour for their third studio album Melodie to Austin, Texas. Playing Emo’s, an historic venue which will be closing at the end of this year, the band drew a sold out crowd. The show took place on a Wednesday, but even a chilly weeknight couldn’t keep the energy down. Slow Pulp were supported by Snuggle, a Danish band whose dream-pop, shoegaze sound captivated the audience. The duo is composed of Andrea Thuesen and Vilhelm Strange who both contribute vocals and guitar. On tour they are joined by Bjarke Kjemstrup on drums. In between their songs, they joked with the crowd about Americans' love of strong air conditioning, where to buy cowboy boots, and even offered congratulations on the Midterm election results, which drew a loud cheer. Their sound was a welcome accompaniment,  their song ‘Water in a pond’ seeming to be a crowd favorite. 

At approximately 9:15, Slow Pulp took the stage. The Chicago-based by way of Madison, WI. quartet is composed of Emily Massey (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), Alex Leeds (bass and backing vocals), Teddy Matthews (drums and percussion), and Henry Stoehr (lead guitar). Although the band was formed in 2015, they didn’t release their first studio album until 2020, following EP releases and interchanging roles after Massey joined. However, having released three albums in six years, they’ve also accumulated a great amount of touring experience under their belt. In what they’ve credited to their “Midwest Nice”, they maintain a sense of humility, and thank the crowd more than once for their support and for bringing a bigger crowd with each tour. They opened their set with ‘Better Man’, an upbeat favorite from the new album. 

Massey commanded the room effortlessly. Her vibrant hair was electric under their carefully designed stage lighting. Each song had an atmosphere of its own, whether it was bright white strobing, a strong spotlight, or colorful beams dancing through the stage. The band had no elaborate costuming, each dressed in a way that seemed natural for themselves, and let the music do the talking. Their setlist was evenly comprised of songs from their three albums, favoring Melodie ever so slightly. During a soulful performance of fan favorite ‘Broadview’, Emily played the harmonica section of the song live, a special moment that their fans largely anticipate at their concerts. The show ended with ‘Mud’ off their second album Yard, but the crowd demanded more. Returning to the stage for a two song encore, Slow Pulp closed out their set in a very full circle way, ‘Slip Away’ off the new album, and ‘At Home’, one of the first singles they ever released. The crowd was left in awe, lingering to recap the performance, herding to the merch stand, or signing the Emo’s memorial mural in the back of the venue. The show showcased how far Slow Pulp has come in their career, and the potential they hold for how far they can, and I believe will, go.

Photos and review by Natalie Pelegreen