TV Girl - Photo by Andrew Lagunas
TV Girl has been a band for roughly 12 years now, however they didn’t see viral success until the past year; and deservingly so. Some of the band’s music went extremely viral on TikTok, a platform where users can put different songs to the background of their videos to follow different trends. “Birds Don’t Sing,” “Lovers Rock," and “Not Allowed” are among some of their songs that made it to a massive audience on the platform causing a spike in followers.
Considering the venue upgrade to
Metro from
Lincoln Hall, there were definitely many new and eager fans flocking to the show early to line up. Just before doors, the line was already wrapped around the corner of The
GMan Tavern. After seeing TV Girl perform countless times at smaller Chicago venues in the past, such as
Beat Kitchen and
Schubas, it was definitely a bit strange at first going to a TV Girl show at
Metro. The venue quickly filled up and anticipation grew for their 6½ year anniversary show for their cult classic LP
French Exit. Touring and opening with the guys was singer Jordana.
Jordana came on stage for a short acoustic set. Her voice from the get go was captivating. Her soft and mellow vocals created a soothing ambiance for those that respectfully weren’t mingling through her set. (something that happens a lot at bigger venues and slower acoustic sets) Jordana and TV Girl recently released an EP together,
Summer’s Over, making her the perfect opener for the band (although they did miss an opportunity to perform some of it together!).
Jordana - Photo by Andrew Lagunas
Jordana came back on stage after finishing her set, this time on bass and backup vocals for TV Girl. Being their
French Exit anniversary tour, they of course played the album in its entirety front to back. Opening with the beloved “Pantyhose,” it was pleasant being inches away from lead singer Brad one more time, even for just a few minutes while taking photographs (and dancing a bit in the photo pit). “Pantyhose” regardless of being the first track on the LP was the perfect opener for them as it got the crowd immediately dancing.
One thing that makes TV Girl shows so memorable is their use of live sampling. It never quite sounds the same as the last show (which is a good thing!) and Metro’s performance was no exception. With their recent success, they’ve incorporated a lot more instruments as well in their shows; including guitars, bass, and a full blown drum kit! One thing’s for certain, they seem to just keep getting better and better. “Lovers Rock” really got the crowd pumped. That song is among one of their tracks that went viral on TikTok so of course the crowd got rowdy. Although it technically was their
French Exit anniversary tour, they had to pay some sort of homage to their sophomore LP
Who Really Cares. They unexpectedly got the crowd moshing to “Not Allowed.” They finished up their set talking about rivers being a metaphor for love and Jordana perform “It Evaporates” with TV Girl.
In the past it was a lot more simple; just show up at doors without having to wait in line. It was honestly good while it lasted.
TV Girl has been such a hidden gem for years now, so it’s quite bittersweet seeing them blow up and receive the acclaim they deserve.
All photos by Andrew Lagunas
