REVIEW: Cavetown Brings “Running With Scissors” to the Wiltern
REVIEW
REVIEW
☆ BY ALICIA ZAMORA ☆
Ellie Kim
CAVETOWN BRINGS A DIFFERENT SIDE OF HIMSELF TO THE WILTERN—Cavetown has spent nearly a decade making music that grows alongside the people who listen to it.
For many fans, Robin Skinner's songs have been there through different stages of growing up, with early tracks like “Devil Town” becoming part of the experience of figuring yourself out. But as he's gotten older, his music has changed, too. On Oct. 8, Cavetown brought his latest era to the Wiltern in Los Angeles, showing just how much his sound has shifted with Running With Scissors.
The album sees Cavetown leaning further into alternative rock, trading some of the softer sounds associated with his earlier work for heavier instrumentals and a more unfiltered approach.
It's a noticeable change for an artist whose music first found an audience through its bedroom-made intimacy, but the shift doesn't feel like he's trying to leave that version of himself behind. Instead, he's exploring what else his songwriting can sound like.
That was especially clear in tracks like “Cryptid” and “Running With Scissors,” which bring a sharper edge to his catalog. These songs have a different kind of intensity, giving Cavetown room to experiment with his sound while keeping his writing personal. He's not telling completely different stories so much as finding new ways to tell them.
Of course, Cavetown's music has more to it than its softer beginnings or his recent move toward rock. Part of what has kept listeners invested over the years is how openly he writes about experiences that can be difficult to put into words. Songs like “Juliet” reflect the side of his catalog that longtime fans have connected with, and that familiarity remains important as he continues to experiment with new sounds.
His connection with listeners also extends beyond music. As an openly trans artist, Cavetown has become an important figure for many within the LGBTQ+ community. Through the This Is Home Project, he has also helped support young queer people by raising funds for housing resources and mental healthcare access. This part of his career also reflects the care he puts into creating a space where people feel understood.
