Concert Review: Trousdale with Julia Pratt at Space Ballroom, Hamden
We may be in a golden era of the all-female band. In 2023, Boygenius achieved near-world-domination; other acclaimed rockers like MUNA, The Aces and The Last Dinner Party also collected accolades. They each have a signature sound, but these modern girl groups combine tight harmonies, feminism, self-confidence and authentic joy into soul-baring albums and raw, powerful live shows: Enter Trousdale.
Quinn D’Andrea, Georgia Greene, and Lauren Jones met and began collaborating at the University of Southern California. D’Andrea dragged them onto Tiktok during the pandemic, and a cover of The Beach Boys’ “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” garnered viral recognition. Three EPs later, they released 2023’s Out Of My Mind, a genre-bender with elements of folk, pop, rock, country and soul, glued together with powerful harmonies. The record’s refreshingly frank lyrics and emotional clarity make them easy to empathize with, and easy to love.
Trousdale’s Jan. 19 show at The Space Ballroom in Hamden, with opener Julia Pratt, was the last in a short run of Northeast shows before their Out Of My Mind tour commences in February. The intimate space was a perfect match for both groups’ intimate catalogs.
Philadelphia-based artist Julia Pratt opened with her wistful croon, captivating an audience that gave her near-complete silence on sorrowful songs like “Little Bug” and “Julia, Baby” She capped her solo set with “A Little Love,” a collaboration with fellow Philly natives Mt. Joy. Despite its melancholy lyrics, the groovy tune still set an upbeat tone for the main act.
To the rhythm of their backing band, Trousdale bounded on stage in their signature green, pink and blue styles, holding beers, grinning and waving to an erupting crowd. They launched into “Bad Blood,” their album’s bouncy opening track that sounds like The Chicks meets Kelly Clarkson. It’s one of those mystifying songs that makes you dance and smile even though it’s about a crushing breakup.
Then came “Point Your Finger,” a power-rock anthem for women rising above rumors and idiot exes: “I got dirt but I don’t spill the tea / Mama always said you better be / Careful where you point your finger / You never know who’s listening.” “This Is It” followed, an unabashed gratefulness track from 2021’s beautiful “What Happiness Is” EP.
“I can’t believe there’s so many people!” Greene gushed between songs. “Look at this, it’s full in here!” The group, who impressively produce all their own music, went from zero to 1 million followers on Tiktok in one year, yet the three are floored that so many people came out to see them in Hamden, Connecticut.
Earnest might be one of the best words to describe Trousdale’s music, the best example of which might be “Happy Anymore,” which, sung live, puts the recorded version to shame. “You don’t make me happy anymore / You make me miss who I was before” sung in three-part alto/soprano harmony – unless you’re an emotionless troll, that line can’t not hit you in the heart.
In recent shows the band has brought a fan onstage and sang to them during “Movie Star,” and tonight it was Eli, a street team member who hung posters for them around town. With less authentic women this move might seem contrived or sickly sweet, but Eli’s starry eyed smiles and Greene’s gorgeous, authentic voice while singing to them made everyone grin like fools.
Further highlights included “Love,” featuring Greene’s impressive soul vocals; “If I’m Honest,” about mild obsessions and revealing too much; and “Smart Iowa” about a woman who took her own path away from the limelight.
One Youtube commenter aptly described their sound by stating: “I can’t tell who’s singing what!” And it’s a good observation, because there’s rarely a lead singer or backing singers in this group - where the melody or countermelody or high harmony is coming from is really anyone’s guess, so in tune with each other (pun intended) are these three women.
The group led the audience in birthday song to their guitarist before launching into a spot-on, swelling rendition of Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain,” eliciting endless whoops and shouts from the very first notes. Then “If You’re Hurting,” sung only with Jones’s expert acoustic guitar, left few dry eyes in the house, telling everyone that “If you’re fighting / If you’re broken / It means you’re human / You’re one of us.”
The trio closed out the show with their hit “Wouldn’t Come Back,” then roared back on stage for an encore culminating with “Out Of My Mind.” Though they called this tour the “Almost Out Of My Mind” tour, since the full album tour starts in February, the audience was certainly out of their minds for Trousdale.
Catch them on their Out Of My Mind tour this winter and at festivals this summer.