Stephen Coss
Snail Mail band on stage at the Majestic.
An already energetic show climaxed with an all-out celebration when a packed crowd was treated to a raucous performance from Snail Mail at the Majestic Theatre Wednesday night.
Snail Mail is the indie rock solo project of 23-year-old guitarist and singer-songwriter Lindsey Jordan. Jordan began performing under the name Snail Mail in 2015 when she was just 15 years old. She signed with Matador Records, releasing her debut album, Lush, in June 2018. As successful as that debut was, Jordan’s second LP, the excellent Valentine, was one of the best-reviewed albums of 2021.
Jordan was forced to reschedule her Valentine tour in November 2021 to undergo vocal surgery, which meant moving the Madison show (and much of the rest of her North American tour leg) from December 2021 to August 2022. But Snail Mail’s show Wednesday night was well worth the wait.
Jordan’s music has been described as guitar-driven alternative rock, although Valentine leans less into a garage rock sound than her previous output. She’s pointed to artists like Paramore and Liz Phair as motivators.
The night started off strong when Minnesota-based opener Hotline TNT took the stage with their shoegaze rock and a “happy birthday” sing along for the band’s guitarist. By the time the second opening act, LA-based Momma, finished its set, the sold-out crowd was buzzing.
Backed by a four-piece band, Jordan opened her set like a force of nature, smiling as the band blew through the opener “Heat Wave.” Shedding her guitar for the first time on “Madonna” five songs into her set allowed her to dance freely onstage and take in the moment. Jordan was framed by a bright red Snail Mail backdrop and mic stands adorned with roses, emphasizing the “valentine” motif.
While Snail Mail’s energy remained strong throughout the 16-song set, the band really hit its stride with a propulsive cover of Smashing Pumpkins classic “Tonight, Tonight.” The whole band was clearly having fun and the front few rows of the crowd were fully onboard.
The show slowed down when Jordan’s band left the stage for two acoustic songs.. On “Mia,” she was able to flaunt her vocal prowess, while also finding time to joke about astrology with the crowd. These would be the last quiet moments of the show before the epic finale.
As the band returned to close with Snail Mail’s biggest hits “Valentine” and “Pristine,” they were joined by members of both Hotline TNT and Momma, wearing party hats and carrying everything from shakers to chimes. Jordan and Momma guitarist Etta Friedman even started wrestling at one point.
The onstage party seemed to be a surprise to the members of Snail Mail, who continued to play through confused laughter (Jordan turned around to all 11 players onstage, laughing, and said “Guys, what the fuck?” in between verses). Watching this finale felt like pure joy: Three indie bands on the rise closing a sold-out show together was the highlight of the night.
