- Since her 2011 debut, Julia Holter has continued to evolve while staying true to a sound that is unmistakably hers. With each release her signature vocal-led avant-pop has shed murky synth textures in favor of hi-fi live instrumentation. Last year's Have You In My Wilderness LP continued this trajectory, earning critical acclaim and launching the artist on lengthy European and U.S. tours. When she touched down in her native LA this past weekend, Holter played a mix of the new album and the rest of her back catalogue, performing to a full house at the new, 600-capacity Teragram Ballroom in Downtown.
Following a thrilling opening set of dark, howling folk from one-woman act Circuit Des Yeux, Holter arrived at her Nord keyboard accompanied by her band on drums, double bass and viola. The audience stood in rapt attention, with not an iPhone photographer in sight. She opened with "Horns Surrounding Me" from the 2013 album, Loud City Song. I was struck by how loose the band sounded, especially given their razor sharp recorded material. By the second song, last year's "Silhouette," it was clear that this was intentional—Holter likes her live performances to vary considerably from her studio sessions. On record, "Silhouette"'s final crescendo is cerebral and understated, but here the band performed it with unprecedented force, working the piece into a sustained tension.
They continued to impress as they expertly navigated the clever twists and turns of new standouts "Feel You" and "Betsy On The Roof," and older favorites "Marienbad" and "So Lillies." The only aspect of the performance that felt unrestrained was her voice, which remained perfectly measured throughout. During a long, keyboard-less passage on "In The Green Wild" she acted out the lyrics with theatrical hand gestures and facial expressions. You could sense how much she was enjoying herself.
Between songs Holter joked with the crowd, making off-the-cuff remarks that felt strikingly informal alongside such elegant music. She concluded with the slow build of "City Appearing," walking off stage to spirited applause before returning for an encore that featured the intricate rhythms of "Vasquez" and the sweet melodies of "Sea Calls Me Home." Holter's crystalline voice was undoubtedly the star of the show, but it was her supremely talented ensemble that allowed it to shine, casting her compositions in a new light and exposing the hidden secrets within.