- Music
- 02 Sep 19
We're still processing what happened last night in the Cosby Tent. Nevertheless, it was a fascinating demonstration of Mitski's talent.
There are no bells and whistles as Mitski begins her set. In fact, it's quite anticlimactic, as she walks slowly from the far side of the Cosby Tent stage towards a desk in the middle. The desk is the centrepiece of her performance from the moment she reaches it as she continues her lethargic, deadpan crawl behind it, around it, and on top of it song after song.
She sits behind the desk for 'Why Didn't You Stop Me' off her latest album, and slowly mimes and looks blankly into the distance as she belts out the upbeat, unpredictable melody. It's really a mystery how she resists bopping along at all to this song.
The crowd went wild when the opening notes of 'Old Friend' boomed out and Mitski still never broke a smile. Her movements are mechanical yet smooth, at one point laying down on the table and slowly lifting her legs above her head as if she was walking along an invisible wall. Somehow, she managed to hit every note while fully contorted upside down on the table.
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When she comes back upright, her chilling gaze meets the crowd again and she steals their souls. The diehards in the front are thoroughly pleased. The people further back who are unfamiliar with Mitski's unconventional performance style are stunned and questioning reality. This set transcended humankind.