Rachael Yamagata
Brighton Music Hall
Allston, MA
June 1, 2013

Acclaimed singer-songwriter Rachael Yamagata is out in support of her latest record, Heavyweight EP. Touted by NPR as having “a guts and sexiness to her”, Rachael’s work has been featured in Grey’s Anatomy, How I Met Your Mother and Pretty Little Liars, among others.

Sanders Bohlke

The room was dark, the stage was lit only by a dream catcher and a tree string with xmas lights. Opening act Sanders Bohlke made his songs using only his voice, a guitar, and a looping pedal. He would make a loop of his voice singing in harmony with itself, then sing a lead melody over that. His music was very somber, he used a lot of repetition which really added to the feeling of desperation. He had a fantastic voice.

Rachael Yamagata

Rachael’s set was as she said, “a bit of an experiment.” On this tour she was trying out some new things, and rearranging some older songs with new instrumentation. The dynamic of her and her partner was awesome. He played a myriad of instruments, ranging from electric guitar to a toy organ. His guitar solos were explorative, raw, with a hint of punk rock. They were a great contrast to Rachael’s smooth vocals.

They crowd was mostly women, Rachael’s lyrics had a strong female-centric theme. She made a joke about how great all the men were from bringing their girlfriends to the show. She promised they wouldn’t leave their men after listening to her songs about heartbreak and loss. Despite her morose lyrics, Rachael was lighthearted and funny. She looked like she was really having a great time on stage.