A snowstorm and frigid temperatures couldn’t keep Suki Waterhouse’s passionate fans away from her sold-out show at Detroit’s El Club on January 22nd. With 45 minutes before the opener Blondshell would even take the stage, the line to enter the venue snaked down the block and around the corner. Once within, the crowd packed into nearly every available inch of space in the venue, basking in the glow of “The Coolest Place in the World Tour.” Here are five moments that stood out from the set, which leaned heavily on the London singer’s two recent records, I Can’t Let Go and Milk Teeth:
Early Winning “Moves”
Waterhouse seized the attention of the crowd from the get-go, leaning on the early sequence of “Devil I Know,” “Moves,” and “Neon Signs.” The backing band’s emphatic instrumentation provided additional oomph to “Devil I Know,” a killer drum beat to close out “Moves,” and a droning, reverb-drenched guitar solo at the coda of the hard-edged “Neon Signs.” Waterhouse also showed off her dynamic stage presence on “Moves,” getting the crowd bouncing as she jumped on the stage.
Sneak Preview
“I wanna play you guys a new song,” Waterhouse teased before easing into the unreleased track “To Love.” The song started as a slow burner, showing her soaring, pristine vocals. By the midpoint, the track gave way to a high-energy breakdown that propelled it to the end.
Slow Jams
On the quieter songs, Waterhouse’s voice shined the brightest. Her wistful vocals reverberated through the hushed crowd on “Coolest Place in the World.” Next up came “Valentine.” “So it’s Valentine’s Day coming up, do you have any plans?” she quipped. “Of course you don’t – you’re at a Suki Waterhouse show.” Here, most of the backing band quickly left the stage, leaving only Waterhouse and her guitarist. Once again, her voice impressed over the minimalist arrangement of this restrained cut.
Finishing Strong
The back half of the main set finished strong as well. “Johanna” was powered by the emphatic whump of the kick drum, with Waterhouse delivering her vocals in a sultry whisper and leading a clapalong with the crowd on that track, as well as on “Nostalgia.” The main set wrapped up with one of the most impressive tracks of the night, “Melrose Meltdown,” led by the dramatic, grandiose instrumentation and anthemic chorus.
Headbanging Ending
After “Melrose Meltdown,” the band quickly departed the stage, leaving cheers of “Suki! Suki!” in their wake. After a couple minutes, the backing band returned, egging the crowd on further. Finally, the fans’ cheers for an encore reached a deafening roar, and Waterhouse returned once more, kicking off with the smoldering “Blessed.” But it was the set’s final moment, “Good Looking,” that capped off the tight one-hour set. On this hazy, hit track, Waterhouse closed down the night with gusto, particularly with the headbanging “You’re not who you are to anyone, to anyone” breakdown towards the end of the track. It’s safe to say when Waterhouse returns to the Motor City, she’ll be well equipped to step up to even larger rooms to continue to showcase her impressive vocals and stage presence to an even greater audience.
