True Widow

Live in Allston (2016)

Brian Shultz

I haven’t gotten to see True Widow since first getting into them through their 2013 album, Circumambulation. They came to Allston’s Great Scott on a chilly Tuesday night bringing their sludgy death march in tow.

Opener Elizabeth Colour Wheel were playing their last song when I arrived, and while not terribly far from True Widow’s vibe, definitely had a lively, more noisy and active feel to get the crowd warmed up.

There was very minimal banter from the co-ed trio of True Widow, as expected. They let the songs do the talking for the most part, beginning with an oldie (“Sunday Driver”, from 2008’s self-titled) without a word and basically played through another five without a pause. The crowd was treated to their signature “stonegaze,” as many refer to it, with its ominous atmosphere, dreary emotions, and deadpan singing in full effect, letting some of their dirgier moments play out by only a few extended seconds, seemingly.

With a new album on the horizon this summer, the band kicked us a few off the impending LP, and they both definitely sounded good - pretty logical extensions of the slightly more determined and heady sound of Circumambulation, whose Side A they played all of early on.

The crowd was receptive and applauded with warmth after every song, but were certainly polite, headbanging along, with only one drunken, stumbling lady causing any real ruckus. It seemed like an hour of uniquely melancholic bliss for everyone involved.

Set list (10:35-11:41):

  • Sunday Driver

  • Creeper

  • Skull Eyes

  • S.H.S.

  • Numb Hand

  • new song

    • -----

  • Four Teeth

    • -----

  • Blooden Horse

    • -----

  • new song

    • -----

  • NH

    • -----

  • ?