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| Meg Mac @ The Bootleg / Picksysticks® |
We roll up our sleeves, after the break!
“Something tells me…”
…we’ve been here before. You’d be right.
This marked our second showcase at the Bootleg Theatre in 2019. Picksysticks & I were inspired to make a return appearance after noticing the flyer for Meg Mac’s 2019 ‘Give Me My Name Back’ Tour hanging in the main hall of the venue. You see, one of our fondest memories of SXSW 2015 was sprinting to the Australian pop soul singer’s final showcase at the Cedar Street Courtyard after a big Texas dinner. We didn’t miss it… cause everything in Austin runs late… and ended up directly in front the caped enigma as she fired chills down our spines with selects from her new debut self-titled EP. Was truly the cherry on top of that entire festival experience.
Flash forward 4 years later and Meg seems to be on the road to her next big album release… teasing us with two buzzworthy singles over the past couple of months: “Give Me My Name Back” & “Something Tells Me”. Which features the same excellent mixture of mature pop soul featured on both her critically acclaimed self-titled debut EP & 2017’s commercially successful ‘Low Blows’ LP, but with a much grounded anthemic feel to them. Meg’s stories are never without meaning and her growing songbook are proof of that. Music & lyrics that, when experienced, are bound to move you. Pretty much sums up this concert really.
Aided by her virtuoso guitarist & little sister on backup vocals, Meg Mac took the Bootleg Theater stage with such gravitas that the entire room was completed hooked as she explored her past, present, & future through song. The front half of the show was total fan service as she warmed up the room with her classic hits. Then experimented with a variety of distinct & different styles halfway through… like going a capella on “Cages” and reinventing one of her favorite Sly & the Family Stone songs… before working through all the much anticipated “new stuff”.
Was quite the well rounded show overall. The only surprise being the unreleased track, “Where Ya Gonna Go”, that was written about a bad friend Meg had. The kind that only comes around when they are in need. You know the type. Meg really showed “her fangs” while delivering the enlightening lyrics while getting used to banging on her new drum machine. Got the feeling she’s still working the song out. That’s what small pre-release tours excel at. Especially for an artist who loves putting the raw-live concert experience taste on her records. Makes this author quite excited to hear the final project in the future.
Just don’t keep us waiting too long, Meg Mac. Everything is sounding quite great at the moment. But ultimately, this show will no doubt be one of our concert highlights of 2019 because it brought back all those nostalgic feelings that we experienced in Austin all those years ago. We needed the reminder as we begin to forge this new path. Makes the next steps so much easier.
Also… big shout out to fellow indie singer/songwriter, Hope Waidley, too! She kicked off the evening with a nice collection of deeply meaningful folk pop storytelling. Many of which were inspired by her past musical adventures that took her all across the USA in her station wagon, meeting people while busking from city to city. You can introduce yourself to her sound over here… or just check out the live performances captured from this Bootleg showcase below!
PHOTO GALLERY by Picksysticks
Meg Mac’s ‘Give Me My Name Back’
Tour Set List
- Grace Gold
- Maybe It’s My First time
- Never Be
- Brooklyn Apartment
- Hope
- Every Lie
- Cages
- If You Want Me To Stay (Sly & The Family Stone Cover)
- Ride It
- Give Me My Name Back
- Where Ya Gonna Go
- Something Tells Me
- Roll Up Your Sleeves