James the Seventh Bends Over Backwards For Boston

'Twas the night of a full moon in Boston, and singular alt-rock singer-songwriter James the Seventh returned for her second stellar opening set of the year. She performed in the city for the first time this past April with Valencia Grace, and on October 26th she made her anticipated return with a sold-out show supporting Lilyisthatyou at The Sinclair. Many fans outside the venue came just for James, holding posters about her latest EP, Science, and letters they hoped to give the star. The style icon gave Following Boston a backstage sneak preview of her ensemble for the night: a chic mix of grunge black pieces, including a sweater with a feather neck collar she thrifted in the city earlier that day, statement silver jewelry, and vibrant yellow accents, including a single thigh-high stocking.

The lights dimmed, and the venue erupted in cheers. James strutted out on stage, instantly commanding the crowd with her confidence. She picked up her electric guitar and began shredding the song "Coolest Cat." She has a knack for crafting tracks that showcase her bouncy falsetto. In one track she manages to effortlessly transition from her guttural, resonant low register to piercing, experimental yelps. Tracks like "Race Car Driver" and "Pity Fuck" featured unrestrained resonant vocals that were just as captivating as the songs' catchy hooks. James kept the energy high for the rest of her set, switching between electric guitar, bass, and thrashing around with the mic. During the penultimate track, "Science," the star dipped backstage to exchange her pointed black strappy sandals for pink ballet pointe shoes. She fluttered on stage, kicking her leg above her head and executing exceptional traditional ballet moves, a delicious contrast to her edgy songs. Her scrappy, raw energy made everyone in the room a fan, as they screamed with excitement for each song. She ended her set with the viral hit "Trauma Olympics," a clever track about performative victimization, which has received cosigns from industry behemoths like Lady Gaga and MARINA. Her unabashed authenticity and dedication to self-expression are reminiscent of those artists, cementing her as one to watch.

After her set, she stopped by the merch booth to meet fans. Designs for sale included a medieval swords t-shirt, posters, and signed polaroids. She smiled ear to ear as fans shared their stories and personal connections to her music: the power of free-flowing creativity.

Soon after, Lilyisthatyou took the stage in a blue dress with a delicate silk chiffon skirt. She skipped around a stage filled with larger-than-life flower props, making her look like a fairy in a garden. Fans in the first few rows held their own flowers with notes they wrote to the star. The singer walked around to pick the flowers from their hands to make a vibrant bouquet, a clever way to kick off a tour named The Flowers Have Feelings Tour. She dove into her empowering discography, delivering gritty and powerful vocals on tracks like "ALL ABOUT ME" and "INTIMACY ISSUES."

Make sure to catch James the Seventh and Lilyisthatyou live before The Flowers Have Feelings Tour ends in November. Buy tickets here.