MICKEY DARLING CONCERT REVIEW
BY ELLA EDWARDS
Bedroom pop group Mickey Darling brought down the house at Washington, D.C.’s 9:30 Club this Tuesday. While they’re typically a duo act composed of Skyler Molina and Austin Medrano, they were joined by drum and bass components for their set. I was surprised to hear that it was only their third show as a quartet; the group performed with captivating chemistry and cohesion.
To be honest, I didn’t know of Mickey Darling before heading to the show, but it’s safe to say that one concert of theirs can turn you. Watch out.
When it comes to performances, “Mickey” has it all figured out. I was standing there watching the group’s striking frontman Skyler Molina sing “always online”, wondering: “Is this man in serious emotional distress?” Then, the contemplative ballad ended, and he smiled and stuck out his tongue.
photo by emmalee sullivan
To say the least, Molina’s stage persona is enthralling. He rolls his eyes back and shakes his body violently to “SOMEWHERE ELSE” and falls to his knees singing “Broken People Breaking Hearts”. He demonstrates a profoundly impressive range of vocal talents, performing upbeat poppy numbers like “Vroom Vroom” and “pipe down” in a bright tone, showcasing a skillful upper register, while presenting other melodies like “IN THE FUTURE”” in a deep, round voice, reminiscent of Joy Division’s Ian Curtis.
To say the least, Molina’s stage persona is enthralling. He rolls his eyes back and shakes his body violently to “SOMEWHERE ELSE” and falls to his knees singing “Broken People Breaking Hearts”. He demonstrates a profoundly impressive range of vocal talents, performing upbeat poppy numbers like “Vroom Vroom” and “pipe down” in a bright tone, showcasing a skillful upper register, while presenting other melodies like “IN THE FUTURE”” in a deep, round voice, reminiscent of Joy Division’s Ian Curtis.
PHOTO BY EMMALEE SULLIVAN
These broad talents are consistent with Mickey Darling’s overall versatility. They’ve mastered an ironic and self-deprecating model of music, with songs like “Reverse Cowgirl” and “Looking For The Danger”, but have also achieved profound levels of depth with troubled, dark numbers like “always online”.
This lyrical diversity is punctuated by Medrano’s dreamlike guitar riffs which curate the acutely indie vibe of “Mickey”’s tunes. Shoeless and singing along, his onstage personality emanates coolness, while he musically demonstrates masterful precision and ability on the guitar.
Mickey Darling was sandwiched between the first opener, the up-and-coming singer-songwriter Charli Adams, and the headliner, the well-loved indie group Valley. “Mickey”’s set exhibited a fun and energetic blend of emotive facial expressions, wild dancing, and great music. I, for one, am beating myself up that I never explored their stellar discography before watching Tuesday’s expert performance. Rest assured, the next time Mickey Darling is in D.C., I’ll be clamoring for tickets with the rest of their dedicated fanbase.
PHOTO BY EMMALEE SULLIVAN
