Ritt Momney made his fourth stop on their Base Tour at one of Milwaukee’s newest concert venues, The Argo. While Momney is wowing fans with his and his band’s outstanding musical composition and emotional performance, opening band Mercury is proving to be an act not to miss. With their vibey indie-rock sound and ethereal essence, Mercury grabbed hold of audience’s attention, and kept them thinking about their performance long after they left the stage.
Lead singer Maddie Kerr is an exceptional songwriter, and a vocalist with a special talent. Vocally, she has a softness akin to Julien Baker, and the chill, yet dark nature of the songs stunningly showcases that. Kerr’s talent for songwriting is undeniable; she writes about relatable topics like feeling more and more bitter as you get older. Listeners can especially hear Kerr’s emotional writing in their song “Special” — which they played at The Argo — that explores not feeling equal to the people around you. As someone who is transitioning from my mid-to-late 20’s, this is the first time in my life that I have felt a shift in my age with my thinking, how I move about the world, and how I look. These topics hit close to home, and songs like these make me feel not so alone in my experience.
The overall tone of Mercury’s music reminded me of songs I’d hear on the Twilight soundtrack, and that is a high praise. Eerie, chill and full of feeling are descriptors that come to mind when I think of Mercury’s vibe — not only their sound, but their look and stage presence. In the middle of their set, they took the time to acknowledge and thanked Momney for including them on this tour.
Momney (Jack Rutter) released his third studio album BASE on Feb. 27, and fans love the introspective nature and stripped back sound. On stage, Mercury said BASE is outstanding and that somehow Momney’s live show is even better. The band closed out their set by playing “Heaven,” and it served as a memorable ending to a fantastic set.
Following their performance, Kerr made her way to the merch table to sell t-shirts and connect with fans. I love seeing artists take the time to talk to fans, and I love watching communities form over a love for music in real time.
Mercury is something special; they are a band that takes their time with their music and plays with emotion and intention. Ritt Momney’s tour has only just begun, and will travel across the country to cities including Brooklyn, Nashville, Oklahoma City and Washington D.C. If you want to catch Mercury, their last day on tour is May 14 in Boise, Idaho.
With Mercury, get ready for a musical experience that will rock your world. Buy the ticket, you won’t regret it.
Keep up with Mercury:
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