Lucius’s ‘Wildewoman: The Anniversary Tour’ at Brooklyn Steel, 2/3
The energy was electric inside a sold-out Brooklyn Steel on February 3. Fans of all ages gathered on the main floor to see indie-pop band Lucius perform their debut album Wildewoman ten years after its release.
Lead singers Holly Laessig and Jess Wolfe met at Berklee College of Music and officially formed the band with Dan Molad, Peter Lalish, and Andrew Burri in Brooklyn. Since recording Wildewoman in 2013, their success has only grown. They were most recently spotted accompanying Joni Mitchell at her historic GRAMMYs performance on February 4.
The album has a special place in the hearts of both the band and their fans. Frontwomen Laessig and Wolfe explain, Wildewoman was our first born, and in a lot of ways, the one that feels closest to the chest.” This was the album that kicked off a wild ten years of performing in sold-out venues alongside people with whom they had only dreamed of collaborating. After successfully touring for their Second Nature album and a few new releases, the band decided they wanted to slow down and revisit the record that started it all. Thus, the Anniversary Tour was born.
Lucius’s close friend, Jeff Taylor, opened in a solo act. The up-and-coming singer’s relaxed stage presence mixed with his complex guitar riffs immediately drew in the audience. It was the perfect set-up to the main act.
As per usual, Laessig and Wolfe donned matching outfits: a dress, a jacket, and a beret all in primary colors, referencing the Wildewoman album cover. In an interview with Bustle Magazine, Wolfe commented on this aspect of their performances, stating “we like to be bold and have fun and be playful with our style so there’s where the colors and sort of the eccentricities come from.” Their show certainly did not lack any boldness.
The band played every song from Wildewoman, including two unreleased songs. The duo even covered Paul Anka and Buddy Holly’s “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore.” Laessig and Wolfe’s vocals reflected their outfits as their voices blended into one. In addition to singing, they took on roles as percussionists for many of their songs.
Fordham student María Medina Bordes (FCLC ‘27), also in attendance, commented on the band’s “contagious” energy that made the concert feel even more “intimate.” She explains: “My first impression was the instrument set up because it was unlike any other concert, especially the amount of percussion and how the drum set was basically split up into two parts. The chemistry between the whole band was contagious to the audience and the performance felt intimate and personal.”
Lucius fostered that feeling of intimacy when they began to open fan mail on stage. Emotions ran high in the venue as they read stories of love and loss, and how their music fit into the mosaics of their fans’ lives.
The night ended as Lucius made their way into the crowd for a final moment of affection. Surrounded by 1,800 people, they sang “Two of Us On the Run,” one of their most popular songs. This is a unique tradition the band has incorporated into their shows, and it made the spacious venue feel like a private home concert. It was truly a full-circle moment for the Brooklyn-based band as they once again concluded touring their debut album in the city where it all began.
Lucius will be back on the road shortly, touring first with Dawes on the ‘Tag Team Tour’, and then with The National and The War on Drugs later this year.
