Photos and words by Carlo De Dios
Haley Blais performed a deeply moving set at Racket NYC last week featuring songs from her highly celebrated sophomore release, Wisecrack, an album brimming with vulnerable, raw energy that confronts the existential dread of adulthood through moments of irony and shades of optimism. I found this album deeply relatable, and hearing it in a live setting felt even more captivating as Haley’s clever and empathetic energy gets to glow brightly on stage. Her chemistry with the band, especially with her guitar and bass player, added an extra dynamic to the performance amidst the shimmery jangly soundscapes.
One of the memorable high points of the evening was during “Coolest fucking bitch in town” when Haley let the audience join in on the chorus at the end. It’s a song that deals with the emotional process of your parents divorce, and the crowd chant felt like poignant cathartic moment for everyone—we’ve all dealt with world-shaking family events at some point in our lives, and this moment felt really earned. Also, as someone who is currently mourning for their recently deceased dog/best friend, watching her sing “Survivors Guilt” hit me really hard: “Can’t a girl mourn the death of her dog in the back of the theater in peace anymore?” Another gentle reminder of what I have been going through, but hopefully things will be okay.
Haley also served her fans a deep cut with one of my rotation ear-worm favorites, “Small Foreign Faction.” The crowd was super amped up at this point, singing along to every word. Hayley sang beautifully all night and treated each song with the utmost care, and her crowd reciprocated in kind. The vibes felt so personal and intimate. And I loved her choice for a cover song, “Sweet Surrender,” the classic Sarah McLachlan tune, in which Haley showcased her own unique melancholic spin on it. Her mother’s influence on display, which is really touching.
This shows really exemplified Haley’s maturity not just as a songwriter but as a performer as well, and I’m so eager to find out what she plans to do for the next chapter of her music.
Listen to Haley Blais here!
You can catch Haley Blais on tour here!
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