MUNA and Nova Twins at Showbox SoDo

Seattle was in for a treat on a Monday night thanks to Coachella, this time of year the West Coast gets a few artists that make their way around in between or after the popular festival. We were lucky that one of them was one of the most talked about sensations over the last few years. MUNA had massive success in 2022, signing to Phoebe Bridgers record label, Saddest Factory Records, and releasing their self-titled third album.

The indie pop band consisting of Katie Gavin, Josette Maskin, and Naomi McPherson, met at USC and began working together in 2013. The night was even more special as the trio just dropped their new single, “The One That Got Away.” To top everything off the band was still riding high from a very publicized Coachella performance on Friday, that even had Boygenius join them on stage for their collab with Bridgers “Silk Chiffon.”

The night started with another band we’ve been wanting to catch, the British rock duo, Nova Twins. They released their sophomore album, Supernova, last year to much praise, producing most of the tracks with the famous, Jim Abbiss . They formed in London 2014 by longtime friends, vocalist/guitarist Amy Love, and bassist Georgia South. Their music is a little raw, rock, punk, ska, among so many other incorporated sounds.

Their energy was contagious, and they enticed everyone that was standing in the venue. People kept looking around and asking what the duo was called as they kept engaging with the crowd and winning their attention. This band is not one to miss when in town again. Notable tracks include “Antagonist,” “Puzzles,” “Cleopatra,” and “Taxi.”

It was time for the main act to take the stage and you could feel the energy fill the room by all the anticipating fans. There was so much SCREAMING! Maskin and McPherson stepped on the stage first along with the two touring members. Then Gavin appeared and started with anthem “What I Want,” that sent everyone into full dance mode. There was constant moving around, creating the mood of the night, that had everyone going and going. Sometimes it felt like we were in a karaoke bar and MUNA was the special guest. It’s been a while since I heard so much singing by the fans.

“Number One Fan,” “Solid,” and “Stayaway,” followed while the band also danced around the floor. It was hard to watch Maskin groove so hard without doing the same. She was pacing back and forth playing her guitar like it was her dance partner. We heard “So Special,” for the first time since 2017, yelled our favorite lyrics in “Winterbreak,” and fantasized about our “Kind Of Girl.” The main set ended with “Anything But Me,” which was cleverly accompanied by an inflatable horse to match the opening lyric, ‘You’re going to say that I’m on a high horse,’ and new single “One That Got Away.”

The band returned to their adoring followers with massive hits “I Know A Place,” and “Silk Chiffon,” that I can still hear people yelling, ‘Silk! Chiffon, that’s how it feels, oh, when she’s on me.’ The band made this an unforgettable night and a safe space for everyone to express themselves. Their messages were positive and for people mostly to be kind to each other and to treat one another right. Life’s So Fun when MUNA is in town and you get to be there.

Words and photos: Sophia Barkalakis @s.barkalakis