Concert Review: Julia Wolf Is Purgatory Pop At Elsewhere
Julia Wolf rises in a time where Poppy and Ashnikko are quietly cultivating a sector of pop that combines colorful sounds with spookier aesthetics and self-loathing lyrics. Beneath pulsing rhythms lie the panic attacks and heartbreaks that develop them, and it fascinated me at her Spooktacular special at Elsewhere because ….. I never thought to speak on the things that leave us speechless.
Maybe, it is a cultural thing? Latinos are known more for our cheer than our tears, and that is because A) we love to party B) “complaining” is seen as taboo. You take your pain, put in your pocket, and keep it safe. Imagine that! Safe-keeping your pain! Yet, Julia Wolf embodies her name: Julia a derivative of the romantic, Shakespearean character Juliet and Wolf, an animal known for its fierce, predatory nature through cold woods but also quite loyal. The latter quality defining the bond her fans shared with her as a gothic-glam embodiment of their own darkness; as if our skeletons, occasionally, came out to dance and do a fashion show. It was enamoring to watch, in part, because it felt like “new positivity.”
In a world that is both divided and obsessed with wellness, tracks from her latest album Girl In Purgatory are almost opuses to accepting that division: the side of us that wants better versus the side that sabotages it. For her, they do not need to be united or stopped as much as acknowledged and chosen. Darkness can’t be banished or embraced… but can it can be danced with enough till it subsides and you find yourself smiling at a crowd that understood your goofiness, gladness, and even low-key goth vibes.. I thought it was a beautiful idea laced under lights and a performance that felt coolly fierce and would give Halloween a run for its money on creativity and “FEAR-lessness”…. Get it!
Vocally, Julia is precise; putting down notes like swords to the ground after she sliced another feeling. She felt like a warrior princess that seduced and played with demons only to vanquish them, and the dynamic breathed through her playful vocals and smiling personality. She felt like the warmest person to understand the hell of not loving yourself. No pop song was delivered without some feeling of anarchic release like, the only way to get chaos out of your head is through a concise, colorful melody. The result was a show that left its audience wishing it could be repeated on loop. For More Information On Julia Wolf Click Here.
