Written and reviewed by Krysta Ayers
MAY 12, ANTONE’S—Before Chloe Moriondo steps on stage, a video plays that takes everyone in attendance on an aquatic ride; “Keep your hands inside the ride for your safety.” The 23-year-old singer/songwriter is on tour to promote her fourth album, oyster. And for her part, she emerges from the cave backstage with “wet,” slicked-back hair and pink, mermaid-esque makeup (bright, shimmery, dramatic) to sing her siren song. Though given the album title, she’s more likely the pearl.
One thing is certain. The girl can sing. On stage with her bassist and drummer, she jumped and strutted the length of the stage while tackling key changes, low and high notes with an agile and powerful voice. Moriondo played “abyss” with her falsetto “ohs” and energized the crowd with what I can only in hindsight describe as a youthful, uncomplicated (naive, in a positive way) energy. She played “Silly Girl” for the day-one fans, “shoreline,” “catch,” and “Celebrity” from her 2022 album, SUCKERPUNCH.
The music of Chloe Moriondo is ubiquitous. With 2022’s “DRESS UP” she takes on a punk/hip-hop approach, talk-singing lyrics as a backtrack fills in the drum kit-produced claps and ominous-sounding keys. Her new album oyster offers something different. Something softer. When she sang “use,” for instance, she dropped the bravado and gave in to the emotions to sing, “I use and let use / Just like you.” It places her in a pop-rock area, while others off the album dreamily wander into bedroom-pop/shoegaze territory—I’m thinking Paramore with a mix of Evanescence, mxmtoon, with some dance/house influence sprinkled in, you know, to livin’ up the themes of growing pains.
There are songs that Moriondo plays bass or guitar for to showcase her multi-instrument talent (as she should). She is young, so slight unease while playing whichever instruments I chalk up to excitement and nerves. The crowd, after all, was giving back so much energy and knew all the words. She thanked the crowd multiple times for the energy given.
She didn’t play her cover of “Dreams,” but she generously sang the crowd her enchanting version of Mitski’s “Liquid Smooth,” her voice in a lower register which lended itself to the drama of the lyrics.
Moriondo, in the intimate setting of Antone’s, had a great show if I’m to judge from the crowd’s reaction. In front of people mostly in her age group, she was giggly, bouncy, and spirited. She was also vulnerable, and obviously talented. And as she continues on her tour, she will undoubtedly attract much more fanfare, like a traveling pearl on display.
