REVIEW: Inside Mer Marcum’s Sold-Out Brooklyn Debut
REVIEW
REVIEW
☆ BY JOANNA GIANO ☆
Photo by Bailey Vigliaturo
MER MARCUM SELLS OUT HER DEBUT SHOW AT UNION POOL IN BROOKLYN ON THURSDAY NIGHT—Her angelic vocals and hazy dreamy guitar melodies kept the audience swaying in a trance. Some stood outside the venue door to catch a glimpse of the lilac light that fluttered around the band. Impressively, an additional 100 people waited on the waitlist, hoping to hear her debut set. She leads a devoted community and reciprocates back by being approachable. Mer meets with people on a personal level, thanking them for coming, and taking photos before and after the show. “Come to the after party,” she tells everyone—and she means everyone.
The night was intricately curated, proving that Mer Marcum is more than your typical rising New York singer-songwriter and producer. She is a part of the artistic ecosystem that is alive in New York. She wore a boho crochet tunic with repurposed white lace gloves sewn along the hem, made by major New York City art and fashion scene player Olivia “Liv” Reinertson, known as “by liv handmade.” The top was very Stevie Nicks-esque, adding to the whimsical floaty identity as she strung her blue guitar.
Marcum managed to create a signature ambience without being overly polished. Small details were carried throughout the venue to her merch table, where she had customized purple matches (that I didn’t hesitate to take) with “I love Mer Marcum” on it. The merch table, run by another Marcum admirer, held tin cans filled with condoms as freebies. Fans could also support Marcum by purchasing her EP on CD, a very analog nostalgic touch, perfect for her fan base that is built around this dreamy atmosphere.
Marcum’s new EP You Never Did Anything Wrong consists of seven tracks leaning in the folk-indie genre. The leading track “Holiday” keeps her signature feel of floating around as she recalls a memory of herself on vacation as a child, a moment getting further away as time goes on. Keeping the idea going, the song ends with an echoing chord that drifts off and brings you to the next track. Track three, “Stay Away,” starts with a strong instrumental that drops seconds into the song opening up to a vulnerable confessional. She bravely ruminates about a past relationship, searching for clarity: “One more time I wrap my head around the hours when you didn’t try to kiss me while you could.”
Track five, “Body,” is an understandable fan favorite that glues together her signature whispery vocals with a faintly steady guitar melody, creating a hazy aching feeling. Wrapping up her EP, title track ‘You Never Did Anything Wrong” carries on the overall feeling of daydreaming and looking out the window as she commences with “stuck at five o'clock traffic,” a time when most people are drifting off into their wistful inner worlds. She sings “We sat in silence like we always do” slowly, followed by “I hate that i’m just…” She pauses and finishes the line “just like you” as if it is mournfully pulled out of her. The beat starts to pick up creating a moment for slow dancing and connection, but then she confesses, “I wish you would break the silence.” Half way through the song, she escapes into the feeling of longing fully as she lets the instruments consume the track in a powerful crescendo.
As the show ended, it was clear that the camaraderie Mer Marcum and her audience have adds to her enjoyable performance. Everyone erupted into cheers and chants of an encore as the band concluded. Quickly the guitars were plugged in and Mer was back center stage ready to keep the magic going. She sang “Breakaway” by Kelly Clarkson, a fun familiar poppy melody that had newcomers like me singing along.
