Concert Review: Enter, Farmers Wife

Joaquin Lewis

Music Journalist

After The Garden’s performance at Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater ended, the audience leaving the venue faced a fork in the road. They could either drift away, letting the raw, ephemeral punk energy dissolve into memory, or they could take a chance on the free after-show inside Stubbs’ more intimate stage, allowing for the night to continue.

Having chosen the latter, I descended the steep, secluded steps of the venue, entering a scene that felt surreal in nature. It was as if I had stepped onto the set of a new Safdie Brothers film. The room was filled with faces familiar to the Austin music scene—photographer Brooke Ellisor and singer-guitarist Bella Martinez among them. It quickly became clear that this seemingly ordinary concert was, in fact, a gathering of the city’s underground musical pulse.

Farmer’s Wife has become a darling of the Austin music scene, particularly favored by those booking shows at Pearl Street Co-Op. Having recently won the coveted Best New Act award at the Austin Music Awards as well as being listed as official SXSW artists, their booking for an after-party show at Stubb’s felt long overdue. Especially when considering that the group is only a month away from embarking on their headlining tour along the west coast.

To my surprise, this was the first local Austin show I had seen where the entire front row sang along to every song. Performing tracks like “Bleeder” and “Swarm,” Farmer’s Wife made it clear why they have amassed over 30,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. With their catchy psych-pop melodies, combined with psychedelic, saturated projections pulled straight from Austin’s Levitation Fest, the group pulled together a captivating display of their aesthetic. If this had been your first-time seeing Farmer’s Wife live, a performance like this couldn’t have offered a more perfect introduction.

Along with previews of a few new songs slated for future release, their performance of “Pool Song,” one of their more recent releases, particularly stood out. With lead singer Molly Mason’s vocals soaring over Jaelyn Valero’s intense drumming throughout the chorus, the songs raw introspection and intensity came alive. As Valero hammered away at each note with visible passion, Mason’s dancing during the instrumental bridge brought back the spirit of an early Stevie Nicks dancing freely through the studio. A version of this can be seen on the groups recently released video, “Live At The Farm.”

As the hypnotic spell coaxed by Farmer’s Wife dissolved, the solid hour of pure bliss came crashing down as the house lights made their way onto the crowd. Managing to pack out the venue in its entirety, the permeated spirits of everyone in attendance drifted back into the streets of the Red River Cultural District once again. A night that had once contained the raw energy of Orange County punk, had been transformed into an intimate celebration of Austin’s burgeoning musical talent. With Farmer’s Wife delivering such a powerful performance, the night ended on a high note, leaving everyone with a renewed sense for what this local Austin band has managed to become.