MUNA @ Headliners Music Hall - Louisville, KY

August 5th 2022: MUNA & Jensen McRae @ Headliners Music Hall - Louisville, KY

There is nothing quite like attending a sold out show and basking in the incredible love, energy, and joy emanating from the entire crowd of fans. This was the case on the evening of August 5th in Louisville, KY, when the LA indie-pop band MUNA brought their current tour to Headliners Music Hall in support of their recently released self-titled album. Comprised of Naomi McPherson, Katie Gavin, and Josette Maskin, the trio released the album on Phoebe Bridger’s Saddest Factory label. Opening the show this evening was LA-based singer, songwriter, and poet Jensen McRae. Although she was onstage with nothing but her soft, yet powerful voice and an acoustic guitar, she is the kind of artist that can command the room with her funny and witty banter, endearing personality, and stories behind her songs. She had many fans in the crowd this evening who were cheering with each song and singing along and it was apparent that she loves her fans as much as they love her. She ended her set with a song that had been requested by a fan, telling the crowd that she hoped that fan was here this evening. She went on to say how she had taken a songwriting program at USC at the age of 19 and how the professor had the class write letters to their 8th grade selves, which in turn became the song “Make You Proud”.

As the lights went down, signaling that MUNA was about to come out on stage, the crowd went wild! As the band came out on stage, it was apparent it was going to be an incredibly fun evening, as both the crowd and band were in high spirits and radiating a fun energy! What I noticed right away was how much fun Gavin, Maskin, and McPherson have together onstage with each other and how engaging they are with the crowd! Starting the evening off with “What I Want” from their new album, they proceeded to perform a nice setlist of older songs, such as “I Know A Place”, “If U Love Me Now”, “Number One Fan”, and “Stayaway”, to new songs such as “Runner’s High”, “Kind of Girl”, and “Shooting Star”. Thanking the fans for selling out the show this evening, they talked about how they had performed at this venue a few years ago, opening for Miike Snow. Asking how many people were seeing MUNA tonight for the first time, many people raised their hands. Singer Katie Gavin thanked everyone for coming out and for listening to their new music. “Ending” the set with “I Know A Place”, Gavin talked about how it was one of the first songs the band wrote together and how sometimes it can be hard to find moments of joy and release so when you find those moments, just go for it! After leaving the stage briefly, the band came back out for a two-song encore, both songs being off of the new album. Starting off the encore with “Shooting Star”, the band ended the evening with their recent smash hit “Silk Chiffon”, with Jensen McRae coming out to sing the part that Phoebe Bridger’s sings on the album. It was a really amazing end to a really amazing evening! Aside from the incredible evening of music, MUNA is very welcoming to the LGBTQI+ community and cultivates a warm and safe space for those within that community. At the band’s request this evening, the venue’s restrooms were made gender neutral. They definitely left the crowd eagerly awaiting their return to Louisville!

Jensen McRae