Eleri Ward returned to Berklee’s Red Room at Cafe 939 for the first time in 10 years Feb. 13, sharing her otherworldly vocals with the small crowd. The Berklee alum emphasized that Boston is a special place for her, and that love was evident in her emotional performance.
The show opener, beccs, kicked off the night with an entirely acoustic set. She started on guitar before moving to the piano; a skillful choice which allowed her vocals to take center stage. She urged the small crowd to come closer, and there was enough space in the small venue for everyone to sit cross-legged. Beccs’ gentle, acoustic set was a stark difference from the energy Ward followed with.
Ward took the stage, immediately launching into her first song and asking the audience to return to their feet. From the first song, it was clear that the performance was very reliant on technology. All synthetic production components were done electronically aside from the guitar and keyboard parts that were performed by other musicians accompanying Ward. The start of the first song was slightly choppy for this reason.
Ward made it clear that she hoped the show would be a night of transformation. She asked the audience to identify certain things they wanted to leave behind. Giving the show a definitive goal for audience members and performing it in such an intimate venue made for a valuable experience.
Ward used the small crowd to her advantage, establishing connections in a way that is not typically seen at concerts. She carried herself with a strong stage presence, making the slightest movements mesmerizing. She masterfully incorporated facial expressions and hand choreography to convey the emotions of her songs.
Her interactions with the crowd were also done with intention, even weaving in humor when possible. Where transitions between songs were imperative, she properly introduced the next part of the set. Doing so ensured the audience was never left behind as she moved through the entirety of her debut album “Internal Rituals.”
The most impressive part of the show was, by far, Ward’s vocal ability. She possesses a unique talent not often found in other artists today. Her control was captivating and is rightfully part of her brand. Her style also perfectly matches the emotion she strives to deliver with her music.
During the set, Ward treated attendees with an unreleased song called “Will I be the Sun,” which had never been performed in full. She completed her debut album with the song “Venusian Light.” This was the perfect ending to the transformative night she sought to achieve, as the song captures the feeling of renewal. For the first time that night, the Red Room filled with warm, yellow light. The song brought the performance to a close with an uplifting tone.
Before leaving the stage, she played two acoustic songs as an encore. The incorporation of acoustic performances is something that would have been nice to see earlier in the set. The only considerable hiccups within the show were technological cuts used for the synthetic aspects of the album, so it would have been nice to hear some of the songs without such strong background instrumentals.
Ward’s voice is so beautiful in its raw form that it deserves more time to shine. It is possible this wasn’t considered amid the desire to perform the album exactly as it appears on streaming platforms.
Overall, Ward knows how to put on a good show. Her live vocals, stage presence and brand-appropriate choreography are all characteristic of a good performer. The only downside of the performance was that Ward’s raw talent was not given the space to shine on its own.
