New York is a special place for Mitski, but both artist and city are changing. 10 years ago, Mitski shows were raucous and raw (see: the last 90 seconds of this 2014 performance). She would rattle through energetic numbers like “Townie” and “Drunk Walk Home” and conjure loud cries on anthems “First Love/Hate Spring” and “Francis Forever.”
Now, Mitski’s lives in a completely different universe. She’s exploded in popularity, so much so that people have lost the ability to maintain their cool in her presence. She’s no longer playing dingy basements or even 1,000 cap rooms — she’s at the 3,200 capacity Kings Theater, The Ryman Auditorium, Red Rocks Amphitheater. Her sold-out show at Brooklyn’s Kings Theater on Tuesday night in support of her stunning new album, The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We, felt like a marker in her evolution, and the opposite of her earlier, more confrontational style.
The folk-forward Americana of The Land is Inhospitable dominatinated the set. In addition to playing nearly every song on her new album, Mitski has also opted for new arrangements of old standouts: Laurel Hell‘s “Everyone” and “Love Me More” were fashioned as languid country cuts, Puberty 2′s “Happy” was a full-on hoedown, and Bury Me‘s “First Love/Hate Spring” and “I Don’t Smoke” were softened into dreamy folk numbers. The new arrangements were nothing short of majestic, but she has certainly removed some of the bite that her previous tours have maintained, even with the sonic expansion that’s occurred in 2018’s Be the Cowboy and 2022’s Laurel Hell.
Helping cement the more meditative feel was Mitski’s choreography and stage setup. For the tours supporting her last two albums, Mitski’s stage revolved around an item of furniture (a table for Be The Cowboy, a door for Laurel Hell). Now, besides a pair of chairs, Mitski performs predominately on a circular podium. During her Laurel Hell tour, Mitski would wander to and fro on stage, occasionally matching the frenetic energy of her songs with darting movement. Now, Mitski has no where to go — she stays put in the center, reprising her hand-forward choreo and ensuring each move feels deliberate.
@consequence Mitski performing “My Love Mine All Mine” at Kings Theater in Brooklyn. #mitski #livemusic #mylovemineallmine #thelandisinhospitableandsoarewe
The show had a couple small effects — the opener “Everyone” sees Mitski entering the curtain-covered podium before it falls down to reveal her, and “My Love Mine All Mine” features a dazzling moment where shards of mirrors descend from the ceiling to surround the podium. But for the most part, Mitski opts to not overcomplicate, and instead beckons you to sit and listen.
