My first encounter with Lucy Dacus and her music was in 2021 coming out of the pandemic with her second album, Home Video. So many of those songs at that time were such a balm for my mental wellness. Getting to catch Dacus on tour that winter on what’s now endearingly referred to as the “couch tour” where she injured her back on tour and rented couches town to town and performed mostly lying down.
The year that followed was the unforgettable experience of Boygenius and their wondrous world takeover.
Bringing us to today and the anticipation of her forthcoming release, Forever is a Feeling, on March 28. Along with the album and an upcoming supporting tour is a series of intimate shows in uniquely specific locations so we could be introduced to songs from the album and she could get used to playing them live as well.
Her second stop was through Chicago at the Driehaus Museum’s Murphy Auditorium. Surrounded by giddy and excited fans already threatening to sob throughout before she had even arrived on stage. Similarly to intimate small productions, we were welcomed with a program and an evening specialized tote available for purchase. More importantly, it was a beautiful evening in an unforgettable setting where Dacus could be herself and share stories and insecurities between songs with a cup of tea in hand.
This was the first non-classical performance held at the Driehaus Museum as well as the start of a new series of shows co-presented with Metro. Dressed for the part, Lucy wore a tuxedo with tails and shiny black shoes. I always imagine these sort of shows are very similar to the popularized storyteller shows MTV hosted back in the 90s. I’m certain Dacus’ charm and banter will translate beautifully to the larger scale shows at Chicago Theater in May, but this experience with her and the audience of fans who were able to gift her the flowers and knitted hat they brought her was definitely once in a lifetime and will be forever a feeling in this fan’s heart.
Setlist:
Hot & heavy
Christine
Ankles
Limerence
(Unknown) “Big deal” %
(Unknown) “How’s tomorrow so far” %
VBS
(Unknown) “Devil in the details” %
(Unknown) “Talk” %
Fools Gold
Come Out
(Unknown) “Bullseye” %
Best Guess
(Unknown) “Lost time” %
Going Going Gone
Night Shift
% - new song
