Adam Melchor rocks the Royale

Cover image by Sam Russell for WRBB.

Adam Melchor

February 9, 2023 at Royale

Buzzing with excitement as they entered the Royale on February 9, it was clear how much Adam Melchor’s fans love him and his music. The indie-pop singer was in Boston for his Here Goes Nothing! tour, named for the album he released in October. Here Goes Nothing! is a beautifully introspective mix of feelings of melancholy, love, and regret, which made me think Melchor’s performance might be slow and sad. Despite the sadness of the album, the show was the exact opposite.

Opening for Melchor was nineteen-year-old singer-songwriter Brynn Cartelli. Her talent was incredibly impressive and her presence was fun and entertaining. Like Here Goes Nothing!, most of the songs Cartelli performed were filled with sad, emotionally raw lyrics. Despite this, her performance was mostly upbeat, creating a simultaneously fun and emotional listening experience. Her vulnerability about the meaning of each song in connection to her life made it feel like she was sitting down with a close friend. Her music was amazing and it was inspiring to see how much she’s accomplished at just nineteen. Bubbly, charismatic, and genuine, Brynn Cartelli was a perfect opener for Adam Melchor.

While waiting for Melchor’s appearance, the audience watched as the crew put out tables with lamps and other small personal touches, a stage layout that I love. The excitement of the audience grew and grew as it neared closer to Melchor’s performance. When he finally walked onto the stage, the audience went crazy. The dedicated fans sang all the words to his opening song, “I’m Afraid I Love You,” and it was clear that Melchor was putting his all into his performance. After playing a couple songs, Melchor took a short break to talk to the audience. He spoke as if everyone was an old friend, and the decorations on stage made it feel as if we were in a cozy living room. As the show continued, Melchor frequently made these little breaks after songs to crack a joke or thank the fans for coming. It was so cool to be able to see the way his personality impacts his performances, but that wasn’t even the best part.

Contrary to what I had initially thought, Melchor’s show was anything but depressing. He made even his sad songs exciting and sounded even better than on his records. It’s truly impressive when artists sound better than on their records, considering autotune is so prominent in modern day music. Both my favorite Melchor song and performance are “Start Forgetting Death,” from Melchor’s debut album Melchor Lullaby Hotline. It was a powerfully captivating performance of the song, emphasizing Melchor’s impressive vocals and creating a carefree vibe – exactly what the song is about.

Adding onto the already personable feel of the show, Melchor made the audience laugh, as he put on a tiara a fan passed to him or when he held up his small dumpling lamp for the crowd. Each time he spoke, he was sure to express his profound gratitude to the audience for coming to the show and supporting his music. As if his personality wasn’t already incredible, his humility made him even more likable.

Getting a chance to see Adam Melchor was so amazing. The way he had carefully created a performance that felt personable and powerful was interesting to see. It clearly captured his creativity and who he is as both a musician and a person. A funny and creative musician, Adam Melchor is an extremely underrated talent in the music industry. If you’re looking for a concert to see or some new music to listen to, I can’t recommend seeing Melchor enough.

All photos by Sam Russell for WRBB.