Photos Taken By: Julia Finocchiaro
There’s no shortage of energy at a Goth Babe show, which indie rock singer-songwriter Griff Washburn made sure to show us throughout his entire performance last week at Boston’s MGM Music Hall right next door to Fenway Park. “Goth Babe” might come off as a bit of a misnomer to those who aren’t familiar with the project, whose aesthetic is mainly focused on rural themes like hiking and boating - no signs of goth or babes. Washburn himself is your typical indie musician with messy long hair and a love for his acoustic guitar. His Spotify artist photo is of him and his Australian Shepard Sadie (who has a song named after her on Goth Babe’s 2024 album, Lola).
The night began with a moodily-lit performance by musician Ritt Momney. If you’re not familiar with him, you might have heard his rendition of “Put Your Records On” that went viral on TikTok a few years ago. His own music brings with it similar talent, and he put on a great performance with just himself, his headphones, and his backing band to get the crowd warmed up for the night.
Donning an appropriately-chosen Boston Celtics jersey, Goth Babe started out the show with a burst of energy, running back and forth across the stage for the first few songs. He briefly sat at the edge of the stage to sing back and forth with some fans, and this interactiveness would continue many times over throughout the night. As early on as song 4, a hamburger-shaped pool float emerged from backstage, on which (presumably) a fan was surfing around on top of the crowd for the duration of the song. Then, we had a dance competition between the two sides of the audience, and the prize was a lifesize cutout of Bob Ross, which the left side graciously took after being deemed the winners.
Perhaps the main event of the night was a few songs later when Washburn picked out two members towards the back of the crowd to participate in a live Mario Kart faceoff, once again a battle between left and right. The competitors were each handed a Nintendo Switch controller by members of Goth Babe’s team, and the game was projected behind the band on stage as they went on to perform the next song. Both did well, though the right side’s representative pulled through with a first place finish. The prize this time was cupcakes that Washburn somehow managed to effortlessly throw to some fans all the way at the back of the floor.
Following these high-stakes competitions was a performance of “Alone in the Mountains” and a new song, “Whole World,” during which fan made videos were projected on the screen as the song played. Other songs throughout the night included “Mexico,” “Canary Islands,” and “Crocodile.” The band of course closed with “Weekend Friend,” which sports Sadie as the star of the album art.
Goth Babe’s chill, airy indie pop is catchy and easy to listen to, and their live show was some of the most unique fun I’ve seen in a while. The tour continues in the US and Canada through September and October before making its way to Australia in early November. If you want to check out the antics for yourself, you can find more details here.