Going gothic in Detroit with The Veronicas

St. Andrews Hall hosted the Gothic Summer Tour and it had one of the most fun lineups I have ever seen. Both artists kept my attention from beginning to end; I know they kept the audience’s attention, as well. It was a night to forget life’s problems and, instead, enjoy yourself for a few hours.

Jesse Jo Stark took the stage first, starting off with her song “So Bad”. Jesse mentioned that her debut album is going to be “spooky sexy” and her first song definitely set the tone for it. Imagine you walked into a low-key jazz bar and, when you looked to the stage, you saw a mysterious girl dancing seductively and with a dark, enchanting voice. You’d be captivated immediately. That was Jesse from the beginning of her set. She also knew how to rock, while keeping to her style of music. During “Patterns”, she gave the crowd permission to get mad at whatever they were struggling with. Later, she covered Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire”; I’m not a big fan of cover songs, but Jesse impressed me with hers.

I said this out loud when The Veronicas came onstage: “These girlies are literally the cutest things ever.”

The first song they sang was “Take Me on the Floor”. Twin sisters Jess and Lisa Origliasso are so in sync when they dance and their voices mesh so well, it was almost heavenly. They looked like they were just having fun up there, encouraging the crowd to have just as much fun as them. When the girls sang “Everything I’m Not”, it felt like I was back in the early 90s and 2000s. Before they sang acoustic songs, they were laughing and joking and talking to the audience like they were friends. The girls threw in a few covers, as well, including “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes and “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana, playing guitar, bass, and keys when necessary. “Lolita” had a more techno vibe to it, which felt like a rave, and “Jungle” had me thinking I was rolling my windows down in Florida.

Can you tell that The Veronicas are talented and versatile bunch yet? Their entire setlist was so fun, I was dancing the entire time. Watching these girls made me wish I could be their friend, because they seem so down to earth. When Jess and Lisa said “12 years” was too long “to not be in Detroit”, they were right. They need to come back more frequently and come back soon!

Photography by Kayla N. Rising

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