The Battery in Atlanta was more crowded than usual on Friday, as not only did the Braves have a home game, but CHVRCHES headlined a nearly sold-out Coca-Cola Roxy.
As the early crowd trickled into the venue, up-and-comers Cafuné started the evening with a 45-minute performance. The band is still in its infancy, as the group released its debut album, “Running,” back in 2021, and they are currently part of their first-ever tour. “We’ve never played to a room this large,” remarked guitarist Noah Yoo before thanking CHVRCHES for having them accompany them on tour.
For such a young band, the nerves were scarce, and at times the Cafuné members felt like veterans of the stage. It was clear that most of the Atlanta crowd was unfamiliar with the group. However, that didn’t discourage the group, as there were plenty of smiles, as it was clear that they were having fun during their performance.
Even before the headliners took the stage, there was a strong feeling of inclusivity inside the crowd. As CHVRCHES was getting set to open their set, the fans in the front row all brought signs stating, “Atlanta loves CHVRCHES.” The feeling was reciprocated throughout the evening as it was clear that the Scottish-electro-infused rockers fed off the audience’s energy.
In fact, due to the recommendation of a fan member, the group debuted an impromptu, short live version of its song “Screaming.” As singer Lauren Mayberry stated, they would not play it as they had never performed it before, jokingly singing the opening lyrics. Her bandmates didn’t let off easy as they followed with the instrumentals, and the group made it through the song’s first chorus before pulling the plug on the track.
“CHVRCHES customer service at your pleasure,” Mayberry said, doing a little dance, before laughing with the audience.
That wasn’t the only time CHVRCHES interacted with the crowd, including when Mayberry thanked fans for holding signs with lyrics. As Mayberry explained, her brain can sometimes be like Swish cheese, and she can be forgetful of the words to her songs. Toward the end of the set, Mayberry highlighted one fan’s shirt. During the group’s performance, the singer changed her wardrobe twice, including a shirt that read “Final Girl,” the title of a track by the band. However, this fan had changed their shirt to read “Final Gay,” which Mayberry highlighted and applauded. “If there was ever any doubt, and people on the internet say, ‘Lauren said yay gay rights,’ CHVRCHES definitely says yay gay rights,” Mayberry said to an enormous ovation. “CHVRCHES says yes to trans rights, and CHVRCHES says all the rights for everyone.”
Throughout the evening, the band performed newer tracks off its latest record, “Screen Violence,” but CHVRCHES also included fan favorites. The group also utilized lighting and videos to its advantage, creating a visually stunning set. While that production helped the performance, CHVRCHES was at its best when engaging the Atlanta crowd. Thankfully for the fans, that was quite often, which aided in creating a magical atmosphere and evening for those on hand.
