Slow Pulp is everything you want a rock band to be: earnest and cool yet freewheeling and fierce. Since the release of their breakthrough 2023 record, “Yard,” the group has found a rapturous audience that loves their talents.
It was a true homecoming show Thursday night during their sold-out set at Thalia Hall. The Wisconsin-born, Chicago-based band consisting of Emily Massey (vocals and guitar), Henry Stoehr (guitar), Alex Leeds (bass) and Teddy Mathews (drums) spent the better part of the fall on tour in support of “Yard.” The album, chock-full of reflective rock songs, became a soundtrack for winsome, young 20- and 30-somethings with a lot of emotions and nowhere to put them. It was no surprise that the audience was glued to the stage as soon as the band began their hourlong set.
And what a set it was.
While they may have lacked excessive audience interaction, they made up for it with a crisp and show-stopping performance. Through hazy, dramatic stage lighting that often reduced the band to silhouettes, Massey’s vocals soared above the group’s signature wall of reverb-heavy guitars and roaring percussion. The effect was both intimate and larger than life.
The setlist drew heavily from “Yard,” with early highlights including the crowd favorites (and my favorites) “Slugs” and “Cramps.” When Massey finally addressed the audience — “We’re called Slow Pulp and we’re from Madison, Wisconsin, but we live here in Chicago, Illinois” — the introduction felt charming and humble for a band whose lyrics the crowd had been shouting back all night.
While Massey primarily played guitar, she occasionally set it aside, most notably during a confident and loose performance of “Steel Birds.” The night highlighted the band’s deep Chicago connections, with local artist Sofia Jensen (known as Free Range) joining for a pitch-perfect rendition of “Falling Apart,” and rising Chicago band BNNY setting the tone with a haunting opening set. Slow Pulp is not afraid to connect with and lift up those around them, and that could be felt throughout the room.
The change in performance style continued briefly during the night, like during “New Horse,” when Massey drew the audience’s attention with outstretched arms during especially poignant moments while winsome guitars set the scene.
But what was most compelling throughout the show was Massey’s vocals. Never showy or shouting, Massey glided through the tracks with ease, sounding even better live than she does on record. Cool and effortless, songs like “Trade It” and “High” soared to new heights thanks to Massey’s unhurried finesse. Many nodded their heads and sang along. During “Broadview,” Massey brought out her harmonica, to massive cheers from the audience. Knowing the track, it wasn’t too much of a surprise, but it was still a delight to witness a musician, in all of her glory, slip between instruments and talents, with humbleness and grace.
“I know we have some family in the crowd tonight. This next one is for them,” Massey said before jumping into “Yard,” a fan favorite. After, they closed out the evening with “At Home,” a fitting choice for a Chicago show. Massey asked the audience to sing along to the last few renditions of the song’s chorus, and the welcoming audience joined in, raising hands in the air and swaying along to the track’s steady beat. I couldn’t help but smile. It was a spirited moment for a band worthy of their fast rise and growing praise.
Britt Julious is a freelance critic.
