I don’t know what it is, but whatever it is, this laid back toe-headed songstress has it. The 28-year-old folk rock goddess who hails from the midwest, also known as Elisabeth Maurus, serenaded Webster Hall on Friday January 28th with her vibrant vocals and real attitude. Joined by one bassist and a drummer, Lissie sang a majority of the songs from her June-released album Catching A Tiger.
Lissie opened with Hank Williams cover “Wedding Bells” from her EP “Why You Runnin.” She admitted to the crowd that she follows the exact same playlist every show and continued her set with “Worried About” and “Here Before.” One of the crowd favorites and mine personally was “When I’m Alone,” a catchy love song that got everyone’s feet tapping.
In the middle of her set, Lissie started sharing mini stories about her tough times and the songs that came as a result of them. She introduced the slow song “Bully” by saying this one only took five minutes to write as it was inspired by all the people who loved her “when she was having a shitty time” trying to make it out in California. She also did “Cuckoo,” a reflection of being uncomfortable in your own skin as a teenager. “Tough it out,” she said, reassuring the younger crowd members that it will get better, that you will grow into yourself just as she did.
Towards the end, Lissie kissed her stuffed elephant, one of her many superstitious tokens that is ritual for every show. She also introduced the tiger necklace she wore around her neck to represent her album title. The encore consisted of Lissie taking a shot of tequila before ending with “Oh Mississippi” and the crowd pleaser “Pursuit of Happiness,” a cover of Kid Cudi that got everyone shouting along to its carefree lyrics about getting wasted.
When her set had ended, it was clear that the quality vocals, extended guitar riffs of her amazing band, and vignettes of advice from this very wise young lady left everyone from the indie high school kids in front of the stage to the middle aged parents in the back of the room satisfied. Almost her entire album was played so there was nothing more to ask for, other than the release of another album. When that will be, only time will tell.
