For her first show in the state of Minnesota on Sept. 19, Ethel Cain delivered—and then some. Following the release of her latest album, “Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You,” on Aug. 8, Cain hit the road almost immediately for her Willougby Tucker Forever Tour, which began on Aug. 12 in Seattle. For the duration of the tour, she was accompanied by opening band 9 Million, a shoegaze and alternative-rock group from Toronto.
The concept of Ethel Cain is both a stage name and creative project/character by Hayden Silas Anhedönia, who is a transgender artist originally from Florida. The core of her music is rooted in gothic and alternative themes that explore topics like religious upheaval, the American dream, falling in love, and the cyclical nature of intergenerational trauma. She released her first EPs “Golden Age” in 2019 and “Inbred” in 2021. Cain made a big splash in 2022 with her debut full-length album “Preacher’s Daughter,” which serves as a melancholic, emotional cautionary tale about the cycle of intergenerational trauma and abuse—and what can happen if it remains unbroken.
Photo by Dollie Kyarn
Cain then diverted from the style of music she had become known for when she released a more experimental album this past January, titled “Perverts,” which featured a collection of drone tracks. And that brings her journey to her most recent project, “Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You,” which tells a complex love story about a fictional character (Willoughby Tucker) previously introduced in “Preacher’s Daughter.” She brought this latest project to life on stage at the Palace Theatre in St. Paul for her second-to-last North America show of the tour, going through the album nearly track by track for the bulk of the show.
As soon as her voice echoed within the walls of the theater’s main stage when she began singing “Janie,” it rang profoundly soulful, evocative, and hauntingly beautiful. The idea of an artist on stage sounding exactly as they do in the studio is one that often draws many thoughts and opinions—but as I listened to Cain perform “F*** Me Eyes,” “Nettles,” “Dust Bowl,” “Tempest,” and “Waco, Texas,” I was nearly floored at just how fantastic she sounded. The low tenor of her voice was complemented so beautifully by the moody sound created by the guitarists, pianist, and drummer on stage with her.
The stage lighting throughout the show added additional elements of atmospheric ambience to the performance—Cain was often only visible by her silhouette, especially from the theater’s balcony, framed by the bright glow of a spotlight behind her. Everything about the concert came together in a way that felt so authentic to who Cain is as an artist, performer, and creative storyteller.
Photo by Amanda Christensen
Once she concluded the final track of “Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You,” she went into an encore featuring three of her biggest hits: “A House in Nebraska” and “American Teenager” from “Preacher’s Daughter,” and “Crush” from her “Inbred” EP. The audience was thrilled—me included—and sang at the top of their lungs as the show eventually came to an end.
I think it would be safe to say that Ethel Cain’s stop in the North Star State was a huge success, and hopefully us Minnesotans get to see more of her in the future.
