Concert Review: Mannequin Pussy kicks off the I Got Heaven Tour at Toad’s Place
Photos by Jessie Fuentes
Feeding off of the success of their critically celebrated 2024 release, “I Got Heaven,” rock phenomenon Mannequin Pussy has kicked off the second half of their North American tour with a packed house at legendary Connecticut venue, Toad’s Place.
Building on the anticipation in the air was the Mexican trio, Margaritas Podridas, whose somewhat cold, atmospheric, grunge sound echoed throughout the club. Singing through a cracking vocoder, the lead vocalist was able to create a lot of depth in her voice, sounding almost as if she were singing through a corded telephone. Their sound was thick with layers, however, I do wish their sound didn’t rely on this vocoder for vocals a majority of the time. It felt more like a choice for aesthetics as they played on rather than to aid the songs. At first, I did think their set dragged on a bit, but they quickly recovered and picked up the energy significantly, which carried on to the end of their performance. Despite my feelings, I applaud the group for their humble attitudes and excitement about the tour.
After the first half of the show ran a bit late, Mannequin Pussy swiftly took to the stage. Dawning a beige bodycon dress with tall boots that peaked through the slit of her dress, lead vocalist Marisa Dabice delivered a rather calm opening rendition of “I Don’t Know You.” Shifting into “Sometimes” and “Nothing Like” it was clear that the group was easing into an explosion of sound further into the show, but that didn’t stop fans from moshing and crowd-surfing to the front of the stage.
Photos by Jessie Fuentes
My favorite songs of the night all happened to be favorites of the crowd. The title track, “I Got Heaven,” was as wild as I expected. Guitarist and Bassist, Colins "Bear" Regisford and Maxine Steen, absolutely shredded building a vortex of sound engulfing the room. Marisa’s vocals were raw and powerful, soaring above the wall of sound. Her commanding stage presence drew everyone in, and the crowd fed off her energy, turning the entire venue into a unified pulse of excitement. Every note felt intentional, every scream was authentic, making "I Got Heaven" an electrifying moment.
Their performance of “Loud Bark,” however, took things to a whole new level. The track’s dark, gritty energy contrasted beautifully with the more fast-paced songs going into the later half of the set. Regisford's deep, resonating bass lines anchored the song, while Maxine’s intricate guitar work added layers of complexity, taking the audience on an emotional rollercoaster. Marisa’s haunting vocals echoed through the room, hitting with a visceral intensity that left the crowd in awe.
One of the greatest characteristics of this group is their authenticity. Their rich, unrelenting dedication to their activism, beliefs, morals, and ethics, and generally to having the voices of young people heard goes so much deeper than the words of any other “activist” musicians I’ve heard up to this point. In transitioning between certain tracks, Marisa wrapped the crowd around her finger with her Marylin Monroe-esk whisper voice, creating a nice contrast and break for her in between giving her all to her screams amidst the performance. Earning the attention, she got the crowd to listen to what she had to say, going on to celebrate the power of the word Pussy and, without a second thought, getting all of the men in the room to scream it at the top of their lungs. Her dominance over a room was unlike most performers I have seen, making their decisions mid-show all the more intriguing.
Photos by Jessie Fuentes
When Marisa and Bassist/Vocalist Colins want you to hear them out, you better listen. At one point, when the room got too loud, clearly not paying attention to what she was saying, Dabice took charge and called them out directly, undoubtedly a badass power move. With the command of the room back in her hands. Marisa returned to her “non-threatening,” soft, whispers proudly discussing various subject matter including but not limited to: feminism, men, Capitalism, the effect of and overcoming of shame, the power of unity, lazy, shitty politicians, breaking generation curses, what is deemed “respectable,” the formation and rejection of religion, and Free Palestine.
“Strength is not how brutal or violent you can be, it’s the compassion you hold when you choose not to hurt them.” -Marisa Dabice on the Israel/Palestine war
Adding to these discussions, Regisford continued discussing the most recent unjust execution of Marcellus Williams, who was put to death over a crime he did not commit in Missouri on September 21st, and the continued mistreatment and persecution of black people in the United States. Going into the bombastic “OK? OK? OK?” this quote rang through the speakers…
“Now see I have to love America, I live here, and it’s not that I don’t love America, I do love America, but does America love me…that is the question.”
Photos by Jessie Fuentes
Due to the delayed start, the band didn’t end with an encore, however, they made sure to end the night off with a crowd favorite and one of their most popular tracks, “Romantics” from their 2016 album of the same name.
Photos by Jessie Fuentes
Whether you are just hearing Mannequin Pussy live for the first time, like me, or are a dedicated, returning fan, this band delivers an impressive, captivating performance that will leave you craving for so much more. Even as the days passed since their performance, I couldn’t get many of these songs out of my head, reinforcing why many call this album one of the best of 2024. Catch Mannequin Pussy on their North American tour before they head across the pond to Australia and New Zealand.
Check out the full gallery from the show!
