Review & Gallery: MisterWives and Bishop Briggs Bring the Don’t Look Down Tour to The Rooftop at Pier 17
WHEN YOU’RE UP THIS HIGH YOU — Don’t Look Down. Bishop Briggs and MisterWives drew an impressive crowd to The Rooftop at Pier 17 last Friday for their co-headlining tour. The two female-fronted bands guided the audience through a show brimming with angst, celebration, and tender moments of reflection.
The night kicked off with a poppy jolt from New York native Raffaella. With a backdrop of cotton candy skies on the first brisk evening over NYC’s seaport, Raffaella went bouncing and slinking across the stage to uptempo explorations of reproductive rights and the exploitation of women in the workplace. She made it clear that she plays by her own rules, offering the knowledge that her label was in attendance so she should be on her best behavior. The artist then proceeded to give a cheeky nod before launching into an unreleased song about the perils of being a woman in the music industry. Her standout, the unreleased “Polly Pocket,” won over the timid crowd as they shuffled around, settling into the exciting Friday night to come.
Singing “Afraid that you can’t climb higher, scared that you’re going to fall, every time the road gets harder,” Bishop Briggs appeared eight feet above the stage on the center of three platforms that doubled as three-sided screens, which displayed the music video for “Art of Survival.” The immersive visuals were a highlight of the invigorating performance, adding a dynamic element to the otherwise relatively stagnant accompanying band.
Briggs’ energy was palpable, as she was seemingly unable to contain her excitement to be performing as she ran from stage left to right during “Wild Horses,” earnestly inviting the crowd to free themselves in a dancing frenzy with her. I had doubts that Briggs would be able to continue delivering this high-octane performance style throughout the set while maintaining her iconic thunderous vocals, but the electricity never waned. Her deep register resonated with purpose on performances of both “Wild Horses” and “Baggage,” while she showcased her upper end on tracks such as “Baby” and “superhuman,” leaving no question of her vocal capability.
The most memorable part of the show came when Briggs slowed down, sharing an acoustic version of “Dream,” off the 2018 Church of Scars, followed by “TATTOOED ON MY HEART.” The section felt like a celebration of her budding motherhood. After performing a stirring rendition of “superhuman,” a song she wrote while eight months pregnant, she took a moment to display a photo of her and her baby in an embrace. The love she shared was mirrored back to her by the crowd of adoring fans. Briggs offered a vulnerability that felt tender and special.
Briggs closed with the fan-favorite “River,” leaving an emphatic mark on the crowd now buzzing for the next set. As I looked around to assess the energy level of the audience, I was struck by the fans in attendance. The co-headliners clearly held enough crossover to justify the joint tour, but my shock came at the vast range in age that this crossover entailed. There were teenage girls with a chaperone mom that sang every word alongside seasoned fans that were well into their forties.
MisterWives opened with the playful and catchy “Out Of Your Mind,” showcasing the raspy vibrato of lead vocalist Mandy Lee and proving that the band’s best years as performers are upon us. I’ve seen MisterWives a few times throughout their decade-long career. They’ve opened for alternative-pop heavy hitters, like twenty one pilots and Panic! At The Disco, but the perspective seeing them previously granted me couldn’t have prepared me for the fervent performances by Lee, Etienne Bowler on drums, William Hehir on bass, Marc Campbell on guitar, and Mike Murphy on keyboard and saxophone.
Throughout their extensive career, the band has evolved through indie and electronic-pop expressions, but this pop-rock era is the most evocative they’ve sounded in a live setting. There was a bite to Lee’s performance that echoed the sharper edges of their 2023 release, Nosebleeds. The album, which leans deeper into the post-punk genre than we’ve previously come to expect from MisterWives, was offered after parting ways with former label, Fueled By Ramen, and navigating new dynamics among the band.
A highlight of the show came during an electrifying performance of “Sideways,” the catchiest track on Nosebleeds, during which Lee playfully danced around the stage. There was a mesmerizing charm to Lee that she has expressed didn’t come effortlessly. Early in the set, Lee empowered the hometown crowd to dance, sing, and be free.
Given the years of experience they have touring, I had the fear that the band may have grown disengaged and find it hard to remain present with each passing show. But the band interacted with the same wonder and charisma as one still early in their career. MisterWives excelled when they leaned into the rock elements, as Lee’s vocal range and tone perfectly suits heavy anthems, such as “Trigger Pull” and “Dagger.”
Sitting atop the center-stage platform, adorned in a harness fit with three arrows coming from her back, Lee emulated the cover art of Nosebleeds as she sang the emotionally stirring “Ultraviolet.” As the crowd quieted, drawing into a vulnerable moment, there was a poignance that felt emphasized by the stunning visual. We were immediately taken by the singer's ability to harness the recent and substantial challenges into a body of art imbued with beauty, a necessary balance to the otherwise dance-fueled set.
The night came to a close with a thrilling performance of “Nosebleeds,” during which Lee melted into the crowd, dancing among the first few rows. It felt like a purposeful parallel to the journey MisterWives had taken to get to their hometown show. As Lee belted, “Wonder what it might be like, just for one night, I didn’t care what they all think,” I couldn’t help but reflect on the hardships faced by the band and resilience they’ve shown. The crowd was equally moved, dancing and thrashing around. Lee’s previous pleas were answered. She ended among thousands of people freed from self-doubt, even if just for one night.
View a full gallery by photographer Santiago Warren below,
