CONCERT REVIEW + PHOTOS: Chelsea Cutler – The Sylvee – Madison, WI

CONCERT REVIEW + PHOTOS

Chelsea Cutler w/ Yoke Lore

The Sylvee – 3/5/24 – Madison, WI

Review + Photos © Justin Nuoffer

On a cool evening in Wisconsin’s capital, Chelsea Cutler and her “The Everything is Beautiful tour” arrived to quite the fanfare. Outside, the marquee shined brightly with her name lit up for all to see. The Sylvee is one of the state’s most advanced and remarkable venues. The line to enter the venue wrapped around the block well before the doors opened and the anticipation was palpable. Upon entering, the security check walk-throughs are extremely quick and easy. Once arm-banded, most patrons head straight to the tour merchandise area on the right. Otherwise, they head down the stairs onto the main floor. On the second level are seats wrapping around the edges, with two-tiered general admission areas to stand in as well. The third level offers box suites for large groups and sponsors. Needless to say, the venue fills up with so many areas to watch from.

The opener of this evening, Yoke Lore, is touring in support of their September 2023 full-length release Toward a Never Ending New Beginning. Armed with nothing but a couple of banjos and a drum kit with a synth pad, they came to perform simply based on their talents. The set list contained 5 songs from the aforementioned new release, 3 from EPs, and a cover. Yoke Lore took on Savage Garden‘s smash 90s hit “Truly, Madly, Deeply” and gave us a sensational, unique rendition, while still maintaining all the feels of the original radio hit.

Closing the set out with the banjo-led guitar vocalist Adrian Galvin‘s wholesome beltings on “Winona” created perhaps the best moments of the entire set. The crowd sang the chorus and harmonized the vocalizations in between. The earnest lyrical content with sweet and soft pop melodies left it rattling around in your head as they departed the stage.

The performance area was cleared off and running along the back area stood 5 white arches in front of a lavender backdrop. In front of the arches were two platforms: one that runs the length of the stage and one that is shorter and sits in front. Both platforms have stacked lights that run the entire length. Cutler’s band stands on the back platform, while she is on the other, front and center. The coloring is soft and airy and her silhouette forms in center stage while flashing blue light illuminates the backdrop, and “Something More” kicks in.

The room erupted to an almost deafening level. Fans upfront along the barricades scream with their arms reaching out. The age range was vast and that goes to show the lyrical reach of Cutler’s music. The growth and maturity from topics of love and life are well noted. Touring off of her recent release Stelleria, that album was well represented with 11 songs played from it. Ballards such as “Growing Up is Hard”, “Loved By You”, and “I Don’t Feel Alive” felt genuine and authentic. Her stage presence was off the charts. Engaging and quite active with her swarm of supporters that filled the nearly sold-out Sylvee, Cutler would run down makeshift stairs to serenade and greet the fans below.

There were moments of pure brilliance sprinkled throughout the show. For instance, a piano solo with a single bright fixed light while performing “You’re All I Ever Dreamed Of” was unforgettable. That indie pop sound of her voice floated over the electrified room, triggering an emotional reaction almost instantly. Perhaps most noteworthy were the two songs that closed the evening, “Your Bones” and “This is How You Fall in Love.” Both delivered all of that youthful energy and emotion one goes through with new relationships. These anthems perfectly capture the spirit of Cutler’s writing and creativity. The banter between songs was smart and witty as well.

All in all, the two-hour-long performance felt like half of that. It is hard to walk away from such a wonderful performance not feeling good inside, as if someone has felt your emotions before and spoken for you. The love given by the Madison faithful was well received. There was a genuine connection made between Cutler and her parade of fans. There wasn’t much more one could have asked for in the performance. The enthusiasm resonated loudly and was rather breathtaking in spots. It is safe to say what was witnessed was a future star on the rise. As the fans filled the sidewalk, a simple notion occurred to me that I’m sure crossed the minds of many: everything truly was beautiful.

Check out the concert photos of Chelsea Cutler below.

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Check out the concert photos of Yoke Lore below.

View Gallery 33 images