The opportunity to see Sky Ferreira live doesn’t come around often. When she announced a handful of shows across the United States earlier this summer, my wife and I knew we had to secure tickets. Her two night residency in Los Angeles had already sold out, so we managed to grab a pair of tickets to her July 7th show at the Observatory in North Park, San Diego.
I enjoy visiting San Diego regularly. The nightlife, ocean views, and restaurants are all top-notch. The Observatory, North Park, is situated right in the heart of one of San Diego’s most vibrant and trendy neighborhoods. Before heading over to the venue, we indulged in cocktails at Part Time Lover, a chic spot where you can shop for vinyl while savoring delicious libations. With a bit of a buzz on, we strolled the entire block and a half to the venue.
We got there just in time to see Cowgirl Clue take the stage as Sky Ferreira‘s opener. Although I had only heard of her on the day of the show, I was pleased to discover that Cowgirl Clue is an experienced musician, producer, and fashion designer who creates eclectic music that reflects her diverse sense of style. Musically, her performance reminded me of what it would sound like if you took Lil Nas X, Orville Peck, and Björk, blended them together, poured the contents into a chilled glass, and garnished it with a cherry. She was joined on stage by a drummer and an acoustic guitar player who donned a cowboy hat, as she blazed through a 30 minute set. Her guitarist remained rather stoic, embodying a pure cowboy aesthetic. The drummer, however, charged through break beats, hip-hop grooves, and brought an extra layer of energy to the performance. I did notice that some of the vocals were rather distorted and difficult to hear. The backing track and live elements were fine, but I rarely was able to recognize distinct words. The technical issues, however, did not distract from the overall killer performance. If you are equally a fan of outlaw country and trip-pop, rave worthy bangers, then Cowgirl Clue certainly needs to be on your radar.
Once Cowgirl Clue‘s set was over, crews quickly prepped the floor ahead of Sky Ferreira and her band taking the stage. However, an hour passed and I began to get genuinely worried if we would see Sky perform at all. Thankfully, her and the band walked onto the stage at around 9:45.
Before I delve into describing the show we witnessed last Friday, it’s important to consider the extenuating circumstances that influenced the way this particular performance unfolded. The last time Sky Ferreira performed in San Diego was on September 30, 2013. It was during that ill-fated gig that a series of issues began to afflict the promising young singer/songwriter. Sky hemorrhaged a nodule in her throat during her performance at the San Diego State Open Air Theatre in support of Vampire Weekend. She stated in an interview with Fuse that she probably shouldn’t have played the San Diego show. She had to cancel numerous gigs in October of 2013 after the diagnosis, stating she required “several days of total vocal rest” before she could rejoin the tour. This news, coupled with her recent media attention after being charged with ecstasy possession and resisting arrest in Upstate New York, did not provide the best publicity ahead of her debut album release. Despite the negative press, show cancellations, and minimal marketing efforts, her first and only full-length album, Night Time, My Time, was released on October 29, 2013. In my opinion, San Diego may hold some emotional trauma for the artist. Even if there were personal issues weighing on Sky’s mind during the performance, technical difficulties disrupted the flow of the song order during her set.
Something was definitely off that night for Sky and her band. They started nearly an hour late, vocals were difficult to hear throughout the evening, and the band needed to restart a song a couple of times. Sky seemed so nervous and shaky during the performance. It did not stop us concertgoers from enjoying every second we got to witness her perform.
Her set started off strong with a combination of older songs and newer songs. She got the crowd going with her pop anthem off Night Time, “Boys”, before going into the absolutely catchy banger “24 Hours”. She followed up with her latest song, “Don’t Forget”, released in 2022, which I quite enjoy for its 80s feel and biting lyrics. The other newer song she played was “Downhill Lullaby”, a down-tempo, dark wave jam that fit nicely in the set as a transition away from the first handful of songs.
Highlights from the middle of her set included “Lost in My Bedroom”, “I Blame Myself”, and a cover of “Voices Carry” by the band ‘Til Tuesday. “Lost in My Bedroom” was the first song she performed off her 2012 EP Ghost. I loved her cover of “Voices Carry” as the subject matter of the lyrics feel apt to Sky’s personal life. The song is an 80s synth-pop, upbeat tune the features lyrics depicting downright abuse from a lover. “When I tell him that I’m falling in love, why does he say, ‘Hush hush, keep it down now. Voices carry.'” I felt Sky and the band’s performance during the cover to be particularly strong.
Sky Ferreira ended her night at the Observatory, North Park, with two very different songs from her catalog. I loved her song “Omanko”, off of Night Time, for its dark quality and driving percussion. The song is one of her more adventurous tunes and I appreciate it for the winding textures, vocal delivery, and repetitious drum beat. Instead of doing an encore, Sky went straight into her most popular song, “Everything is Embarrassing”, from her EP Ghost. The song is a main reason why many people were in the crowd, and the infection of the tune was felt by all that night. With the song’s end, Sky and her band left the stage, the house lights came up, and we were shooed away from the stage. She only played 15 songs, but she could’ve played 5 songs and I would’ve been grateful for her pressence.
I do not know what was going on personally for the crew or the artists that Friday in San Diego at the Observatory, but what I do know is that I am still beyond thankful I got to witness one of my favorite artists in the last decade. Now, if only Capitol Records will wise up and renegotiate a deal with Sky, we may finally have that follow up album she’s been hinting at since 2015.
Until that album does finally come out, listen to her for yourself, here!
The Indy Review 