Chloe Moriondo's Blood Bunny tour kicked off in Cleveland last night with a sold out show at Mahall's Twenty Lanes.
The line for the gig wrapped around the building prior to doors with dozens of fans and their parents waiting eagerly to get inside. Chloe and opening act Addison Grace made appearances at the building’s side-window to wave hello to those standing in the adjacent gas station’s parking lot.
Grace kicked off the show with a solo acoustic set, followed by Jackie Hayes in the first of three supporting performances on the tour. It was a one-two punch of sugar and spice with Grace’s sweet melodies warming up the crowd for Hayes’ high-energy two-piece performance.
Chloe’s set, which was packed with tracks from her new record, some old favorites, and two unreleased tracks ("Sammy" and "Bloodhound") was accompanied by a lovely cover of The Cranberries' eternal hit "Linger." You can watch that performance above.
Editorial Note: Clearly, the video I captured isn't as well composed at it could be. The Mahall's stage has a mere two-foot rise from the floor (if that… I didn’t bring my yard stick last night). This makes it difficult to see much unless you're right up front. As a tall person, I find it morally incorrect to impede the view of the short in situations like these. I hope the audio will suffice.
The new songs, both about dogs, came as a surprise. Blood Bunny came out in May. It was followed by an acoustic EP in July. She told the crowd last night to expect a new EP soon, on which the song “Sammy” will be found. This one falls in line with her previous material. It’s a whimsical song about her blind dog of the same name. The second unreleased track, “Bloodhound,” is a departure into hyperpop. Heavy vocal effects met with frantic dog barks brought an entirely new energy to the room just as the set met its end.
Chloe Moriondo’s set decoration, following her sold out performance at Mahall’s.
Moriondo turned just 19 the day previous to the show. I mention this not to fall into the trap of saying “she’s such a good performer despite her age,” but because commanding an audience like she does so early in her career is worthy of remark. The performance was fantastic. She brings a nervously excited energy that you can hear in her laugh in the first seconds of the video above. It emanates through the room, infecting everyone.
She has a deep connection with her fans, which goes both ways. During all of the sets, you could hear repeated compliments thrown from various corners of the space to the performer on stage. “You look cool” or “you’re so amazing” were commonly heard, earning blushes and thank you’s from everyone on the receiving end. At one point, Moriondo checked in with the crowd to make sure they were staying hydrated. You hear this a lot at shows— it gets hot under the lights and surrounded by people—but rarely do you see a noticeable wave of fans leave their places in the crowd to fetch some water from the back bar when it’s suggested by the headliner mid-set.
If you get the opportunity, catch Chloe on tour. I believe she’s destined for greatness. I hope she continues to wield the influence she has on her young fan-base with continued positivity and for progressive action.