Singer-songwriter Lucy Dacus (a member of the supergroup-on-hiatus Boygenius) took to the Murat Theatre on September 16th to perform the pop-rock tour Forever is a Feeling in Indianapolis. Dacus partnered with the local nonprofit WTTS: Rock to Read, which helps children in the community gain access to books, and The Ally Coalition, which donates $1 for every ticket purchased to support LGBTQ+ people across the country.
Her opener, Slow Pulp, played an electric setlist of rock songs, exhilarating the audience in preparation for the main act to take the stage. “Calliope Prelude” rang out as the stage-turned-art-museum fogged and darkened until a spotlight appeared on suit-wearing Lucy Dacus who sang “Being back here makes me hot in the face,” the opening line to “Hot and Heavy” from her last album Home Video (2021).
Leading a five-piece band, she began to play songs off her new album. Dacus started with her hit single “Ankles.” Its corresponding music video stars Bottoms actress Havana Rose Liu, and tells the story of a museum security guard chasing a woman (Dacus) escaped from her painting throughout New York City. The lyrics blend contradictory feelings often felt in young relationships, such as the struggle between the desire for intimacy and the fear of vulnerability.
As the evening progressed, Dacus asked the audience if they knew what “vacation bible school” was, to which she received shrieks of recognition. This led to the song “VBS” off of her third album, while the set paintings projected a VHS tape and blue background.
One of my personal favorites was “Talk.” It captivated the viewers not only because of its “rocked-out” quality (that it shared with numerous songs on the setlist), but also because of Lucy Dacus’s intense stage presence, particularly during a pause in the chorus between “Do I make you nervous…or bored?” in which the crowd was covered in goosebumps. The chilling presentation and slow buildup to heavy guitar affirmed Dacus as more than an introverted “sad girl”- it allowed her to become a rockstar as well.
The most moving and memorable part of the show was a single off Forever is a Feeling titled “Best Guess.” Months ago, Dacus made an Instagram post asking if people would want to get married by her during shows. This has led to numerous marriages, usually of sapphic couples, being officiated by Lucy herself during “Best Guess”- the perfect song for the sultry, hopeful, and (truthfully) tear-jerking celebrations of love. Dacus has commented that she can “think of all sorts of reasons people may be interested in securing the rights granted through marriage” and that she would be “honored to do the honors” no matter if a couple has been planning on it or just recently chosen to tie the knot.
Her choice is a subtle nod to a common fear; Obergefell v. Hodges, the case that legalized gay marriage in 2015, could soon be overturned by the Republican majority Supreme Court as was Roe v. Wade in 2022.
Yesterday, six couples said their vows and swayed in unison to the heartfelt lyrics “You are my best guess at the future.” The album Dacus is touring centers on finally falling in love with the girl- in her case, Boygenius bandmate Julien Baker, who was a close companion for several years before the present-date announcement of their relationship.
Playing newly released (but first heard live in 2022) “More Than Friends,” there was a switch to an acoustic set with surprise songs. Dacus brought out an antique blue couch (referencing a 2022 Home Video tour show where she performed on a sofa due to two herniated discs in her spine) and her drummer Ricardo Lagomasino to sing “Bullseye,” which features Hozier on the studio track. Both songs showcased her distinctly poetic lyricism and ability to create more folksy sounds, heavy on themes of complicated love and yearning. Each song performed by Dacus felt unquestionably unique; they all told different stories and ways to feel forever.
Boygenius bandmate Phoebe Bridgers is known for her charismatic rockstar persona, regularly commanding attention through a rebellious attitude on stage. While Lucy Dacus has her defiant moments, she is clearly more introverted. This leads to the feeling of an intimate show from a close friend- even though she was playing to over 2000 attendees. She had somewhat sheepish stage banter, and wasn’t afraid to take slow songs slow. These aspects made Dacus appear to be more of an introspective poet type, which showed her roots in reflective singer-songwriting.
Per fan request, “I don’t wanna be funny anymore” (2016) became an emphatic sing-along celebrating breaking free of the box one has always been put into. Finishing with the title track “Forever is a Feeling,” Dacus left the stage to ear-splitting cheers in much the same clouded fashion as she took it.
In the darkness, a spotlight reappeared on the band, back for an encore of her top hits “True Blue” (Boygenius The Record) and “Night Shift” (Historian). Dacus encouraged the audience to sing along, revealing “I don’t know when I’m coming back on tour again” so they should sing “if [they] want.”
Though Dacus seemed to be suffering from a cold and was not playing a sold-out show, she still brought 110% to her performance. Throughout breakup, love, throwback, and rock-n-roll songs, the young crowd was left enthralled, unable to take their eyes off the charming musician. Lucy Dacus can be hard to digest for new listeners, as her music is largely lyrics-based, with there being no doubt surrounding her talent of portraying complexity through intelligent storytelling. However, her unapologetic confessions of sapphic love and heartbreak are both intimate and perfectly-crafted. Her stage presence was irresistible; she directly connected with audience members through light conversation, passionate ballads, and steamy guitar riffs. As shouted from the audience, receiving an appreciative reaction from Dacus herself, “We love Lucy!”
