AURORA Bewitches WaMu Theater in Seattle
We headed down to WaMu Theater in Seattle to catch one of our favorite artists, Aurora. Since the first time we caught her show at the Showbox Market in 2019 we’ve been in absolute awe of her artistry and talent. Tonight, would be no exception as her What Happened to the Earth? tour made a stop in our city. Walking into the venue we noticed that the crowd was mixed with a lot of young kids attending the concert, something we don’t see that often at the shows we attend. This was nice to see and speaks to what kind of audiences she attracts with her music. We also noticed that the bleachers in the back were gone and that the curtains were open creating a larger space given the show was completely sold-out and needed all the room possible.
Aurora was in Seattle supporting her 5th studio album, What Happened to the Heart? The Norwegian artist who has been known for her vulnerable lyrics and powerful messages, took the stage and kicked off the set with “Churchyard,” and “Soulless Creatures.” She was so soft spoken when she stopped to say hi to everyone and sweetly thanked everyone for being there. She made a few jokes and noted how large the venue was before spotting the bar in the back and saying that’s where she would probably be in, if she went to a concert. Before singing “Through the Eyes of a Child,” she noted that it was from her first album and mentioned that event thought our country is going through some things now we should all try to be united and not move to division and that we shouldn’t forget that we’re all one and that things shift in time.
As Aurora stood barefoot on the stage and bore her whole soul with her singing or screaming softly or loudly, one thing was very obvious, this was personal. It brought everyone in the room closer to her, making them feel even more attached to what was going on at the show. It’s incredible to see an artist perform in such a large space and still be able to make the event feel personal to everyone standing in the room. We looked around, and people were in tears, singing along with her as if they were releasing their pain together in the most beautiful way.
Along with the incredible visuals complementing the songs, her backup singers came out a couple times and became part of the show as they all danced on stage or moved around in perfect harmony. Before starting “The Blade,” she mentioned that this was a little song about her body and her choice and then proceeded to sing the tune beautifully as people cheered her on. It’s incredible to see her be so into herself quiet and soft spoken and then exploding with such savagery in her songs. This is one of my most favorite contradictions to see in an artist, when the person and art do not match with what you expect of them. It’s the absolute best way to be tough not to judge someone by the way they look or carry themselves. It’s almost like they’re two different people and you get to see them intertwined magically as one for a moment.
Every song was a piece of the story guiding us throughout the night, intertwined with our own experiences in parallel uniting in this moment together as we all shared the same space. After performing “The Blade,” she jokingly said ‘I have to relax now and have to return back to myself and not be so angry.’
The ultimate highlight for me was hearing “Salvation” live and sharing it with everyone in the room. I get so lost in the song; I sometimes have to remember to return to myself. The way she softly starts and shares her dissatisfactions and then explodes in the chorus. What a masterpiece. It was really cathartic dancing around as the outro loudly played on and I perhaps let go of a couple of complaints myself.
Aurora‘s main set ended with “Some Type of Skin” and “Giving In to the Love.” Every time she spoke to her fans it was genuine and personal, and even though her music can be emotional, she found a way to also be very funny and light. Before starting her first encore song, she addressed the room and powerfully said that ‘It doesn’t matter who you are, you are perfect, it’s the world that we live in that makes you think otherwise.’ She then grabbed a rainbow flag from the back and began to dance freely while performing, “Cure for Me.”
Then came a very powerful “Running With the Wolves,” as the graphics on the huge screen behind her showcased her dancing and multiplying to many people. Before her last song, she stopped to thank her crew for being so good and making these shows happen. She looked out one last time and said this one is about being okay to be broken, to walk around this world with your wounds. ‘This is what makes you powerful and is necessary to make the world a better place. With the high price of your scars, you can find the compassion and recognize others like you and continue to find a way to hopefully lighten these wounds. She played “Invisible Wounds,” on the keyboard alone as a spotlight lit her up one last time. This brought the beautiful night to an end.
