Carol Ades and Lizzy McAlpine songs are both organic and cathartic. Their lyrics flow like a rhythmic conversation and evoke vulnerability and familiarity.
On September 21, Boston got to hear and feel that for Lizzy’s Five Seconds Flat Tour at Cambridge’s Sinclair.
Following a harmonious set from viral Berklee artists, Tiny Habits, Carol shuffled on stage dawning a school uniform.
“I see you, I know you, I am you… and we’re not okay,” Carol told the crowd.
Performing a much too short set, Carol shared songs off her EP Though, as well as recent releases like “26.”
“When I think about what art I want to make, what things do I want to say…I keep coming back to sadness, my own sadness, and writing about it. At first it was about, how can I get rid of it as fast as humanly possible, and the older I get, the more I just realize sitting in it can be such a magical thing,” Carol shared of her recent single “Sadtown USA,”
Before ending her set, Carol treated the crowd to a performance of the yet to be released “Special.”
When her last song drew a disappointed sigh from the vibing crowd, she reassuredly said “You’ll be fine.”
Momentarily mourning the end of Carol’s set, the audience then let out thunderous cheers during the first few notes of Lizzy’s “an ego thing.”
“I love Boston so much. It’s been really emotional coming back because it’s been four years since I started at Berklee…It’s crazy how much things can change in four years. For the better and also for the worst sometimes, but you know that’s life. I think change is good and I’m acknowledging all the ways that I am changing coming back here, but it’s also terrifying,” Lizzy shared.
Those changes led to “Apple Pie” and “Pancakes for Dinner,” and to collaborations with artists like Finneas, thousands of streams, and a debut headlining tour.
As Lizzy performed songs like “ceilings” and “all my ghosts,” she reminisced about getting free slurpees “at the [Mass Ave] 7/11 under fluorescent lights,” and teased that all of her songs really are about Boston.
In stark contrast to her orchestral performances, Lizzy stripped things back for songs like “Angelina.”
The crowd sang along to all 12 songs before Lizzy left the stage to chants for an encore.
“Ok, fine there’s more,” Lizzy conceded as she returned.
Strumming the last note of “orange show speedway,” her hand clasped her heart as she looked out over her community of fans.
Catch the Five Seconds Flat tour in a city near you!
