Chvrches play their debut album for a sweaty Raleigh crowd

All photos by Kevin Norris

Scottish synthpop trio Chvrches are riding high since the release of their debut album The Bones of What You Believe last year and that success has resulted in packed shows across the country, including a sold out show last night at The Ritz in Raleigh.

Flanked by Iain Cook and Martin Doherty manning a variety of synthesizers and samplers, frontwoman Lauren Mayberry sang the group's infectious melodies like she meant it starting with the opening song "We Sink."

An intense light show accompanying the band's pulsing electronic sounds and it added to the overall experience of the set, lifting songs like "Lungs" and "Gun" to new heights. While Mayberry stood front and center most of the night, Doherty's intense energy kept the crowd pumped up throughout the night. When he took took over lead vocal duties on "Under the Tide," it was a highlight of the set.

The main set closed with the awesome single "The Mother We Share." At that point the set only clocked in at about 45 minutes. The group quickly returned to close out the night with "You Caught the Light" and "By the Throat," both of which were stellar.

The entire show clocked in at exactly an hour and that is definitely a bit too short for a headlining set, though they do only have one album. They pulled out the bonus track/b-side "Strong Hand" during the set but they have a few more b-sides that could have beefed up the set.

Overall, the band put on a hell of show and the sweaty, packed Ritz crowd loved every minute of it. Let's hope they'll release a killer sophomore album and return to the Triangle for another big show in the not too distant future.

Set list
We Sink
Lies
Lungs
Gun
Night Sky
Strong Hand
Science/Visions
Recover
Tether
Under the Tide
The Mother We Share
—————
You Caught the Light
By the Throat