Concert Fri May 10 2013

Review/Photos: Daughter with Wilsen @ Lincoln Hall 05/09/13

By Kirstie Shanley

Elena Tonra of the London based band Daughter couldn't have seemed more modest and pleased with the sold out crowd at Lincoln Hall, which was perhaps the reason why the band played over an hour and their set included a few songs not listed on the setlist. Though the band performed as a four piece, Tonra stole the show with her rather tormented looking eyes catching the light amidst the smoke during several parts of the evening. And, as the audience filled with adoring girls especially, looked up in awe to her, she saw them as they sang along with the lyrics they felt deeply to Landfill "I wanted you so much but I hate your guts."

Daughter actually ended up playing over an hour, which is somewhat impressive if you consider the band just recently released their debut (2013's If You Leave) earlier this week. There was such a respectful sense of a hush around Tonra that one might think fans had been listening to these songs for at the very least months and had memorized the tracks by heart. Such is the power of the band with lyrics that speak to many. Tonra has seemed to have plucked out her words from the hearts of her followers and they are grateful to hear such a melodic voice singing them. The band said they weren't really all that used to encores and that they had spent a great deal of their recent past in a basement but with songs as solid as the ones on their first release, they better get used to playing encores fast. Though, no doubt their avid listeners wouldn't have even minded hearing one or two of their originals played a second time.

Tonra's inbetween song banter was rather sweet and thankful for the crowd and recalled a less than ideal show experience the last time the band was in town. She was smiling when she wasn't singing but she quickly slipped into each moment as the songs gained momentum. Even when she played her cover of Daft Punk's "Get Lucky" she brought something special and a beautifully melancholy to the evening that didn't seem to be quite there in the original. Yet, Tonra and her band's own songs are what really shown with the song "Home" proving to be an especially great ending to the main set.

Daughter Setlist photo:

Fellow Brits, openers Wilsen were also rather stunning with a lush femininity and a whispery hushed female vocalist who was just as appreciative as Elena Tonra. Much like Daughter's songs, their setlist featured songs that started off quite quiet and reflective and built in intensity. The band's indie folk sensibilities made for an amazing night of music overall and Wilsen could be appreciated for a promising new band in their own right, as the fans for Daughter were as quiet as can be, respectfully and eagerly listening to Wilsen's set take place. It was their debut in Chicago and there were more than a few people in the audience hoping the band will return soon.