This past Tuesday night, Yoke Lore returned to Chicago to play his biggest headline show here yet—with a sold out gig at the iconic Metro.
girlhouse, the project of musician and songwriter Lauren Luiz, warmed up the crowd first. Luiz was joined by a full live band, and she told the audience she’d released four EPs this last year, so she had plenty of material to perform during her thirty-minute set. Early on in the set, a fan in the front asked if she’d be playing her single “the fatalist,” and Luiz coyly responded they’d have to wait and see. Towards the end of the set, the song was delivered and the singer told the fan “that was just for you.” girlhouse’s set wrapped up with “concussion,” which is a favorite of mine and has racked up over 10 million streams. I’d recommend adding girlhouse to your playlists if you’re a fan of Wallice, Samia, or Annie DiRusso.
Next up, the scene was set for Yoke Lore, the moniker of musician Adrian Galvin. Galvin and his band had been in Chicago earlier this year to open for Goth Babe at Salt Shed, but it was great to see him as the main event this time. All around the stage, lamps and light bulbs added a cozy vibe, which was fitting because Yoke Lore songs have such a comforting feeling about them. These light bulbs would end up changing colors and setting the tone throughout the night, adding different auras to different songs.
Galvin played through his first few songs, alternating between his signature banjo and acoustic guitar, but after performing his 2019 single “Chin Up,” Galvin took a break to speak to the crowd with a poetic introduction. He told the crowd “Hi, I’m Yoke Lore. I want to tell you what that means.” Galvin then defined the mission behind his musical project, ending the introductory speech by saying, “And music is how I use the personal to conjure the infinite.”
Galvin addressed the crowd in a similar style a few times throughout the evening, which really added a special touch to the live performance in between the songs. In addition to some of his tried and true material and fan favorites, like “Seeds” and his cover of “Truly Madly Deeply,” Galvin sprinkled in some newer music. The new songs included singles like “Hallucinate” and “Shake,” which were both released this year, as well as some unreleased songs from his upcoming debut album Toward A Never Ending New Beginning, which will be released this month. The new music had more of an electronic backbone to it, and Galvin took some time to show off his dance moves in those moments.
The main part of Yoke Lore’s set wrapped with his hit “Beige,” which was truly a beautiful moment. Galvin began standing at the edge of the stage playing the banjo, with the crowd kicking off the song in a choir-like fashion before he eventually moved back to the microphone to join them in singing.
After a very loud demand for an encore, Yoke Lore returned to the stage to perform Tom Robbins, which Galvin told the crowd is a song he only performs live and was inspired by his favorite book. The evening wrapped up with another full-venue singalong to “Goodpain.”
As I left the Metro that night, I found out the Cubs had a massive win, as I was greeted by “Go Cubs Go” cheers from Wrigley Field down the block. The victorious chants matched the euphoric energy I felt leaving the Yoke Lore show.
Check out photos from the evening below and see where you can catch Yoke Lore next here.
