Photos and Review: Chris Berry
Connected. That’s the one word that keeps popping into mind after seeing Jessie Murph perform a sold out show at The Agora Theater in Cleveland, OH on Nov. 8th.
Like many artists who blow up, almost overnight (on TikTok), Jessie Murph KNOWS her fans. She knows who shows up for her every night, some on a personal basis. They range from different ages and backgrounds, but that’s the beauty of an artist who doesn’t necessarily have a “home” in one specific genre. Is she country? Maybe a little. Is she soul? Possibly more than anything. Alt-Rock? Some would say yes. Between her style and lyrical content, her persona appeals to the masses.
For someone who just turned 20 years old, she sure seems like she has been “doing this” for a long time. Standing behind a bring red curtain, a small silhouette of Murph appeared, with hands and hips swaying to the slow and sexy music. Finally, as the beat picks up, the curtain drops, and the show begins with the song “Bang Bang.”
It did not take long to find out that her fans KNOW her, too. They sang every word loudly. From the age of 4-to-40 something’s. Murph loved every second of it and encouraged them to keep it up by pointing her microphone in their direction and acting as a conductor to a choir.
A theme of broken relationships and abuse continued with songs like “High Road” featuring Koe Wetzel, and “Someone in This Room” featuring Bailey Zimmerman. All too many of the crowd seemed to relate to these situations, though, as they sang along to words like “It’s you and me and broken dishes, highs and lows, too-far-to-fixes, you ain’t who you were and I ain’t either.”
Her set of a little over and hour and a half featured 22 songs, some from her 2023 EP Drowning, and most from her debut LP That Ain’t No Man That’s The Devil. Featuring other artists such as Teddy Swims and Jelly Roll. Murph’s soulful rasp seems to blend perfectly no matter what kind of music accompanies it.
Murph’s reach on social media continued to be apparent when the crowd knew the lyrics to the newly released single, “Sip.” She had the crowd take over the second verse of the song, singing lyrics about the bad boys that Murph seems to be attracted to. “Something ‘bout the way he stands, with a Roscoe in his waistband, I love it. Something ‘bout the way that those hands, make a bitch dance for a bad man, I love it.”
Apart from two electric guitar solos, Murph’s band mostly stuck behind her on a large platform that was decorated with backlights and giant speakers. It was basically a stage on top of the main stage, which made everything visible – even for those shorties standing wayyy in the back on the pit.
Murph ended her show with a heartfelt round of “thank you’ s” to each and every fan for supporting her. Her crowd work and interaction come from such a genuine place and it’s apparent. Whether she is on TikTok, doing a Q&A session with her VIP pre-show attendees or performing live on stage, Jessie Murph knows the importance of remaining connected to her fans. As her stock continues to rise Murph will eventually begin to play amphitheaters, arenas and larger venues, where creating a sense of intimacy with her fans will be even more important.
SETLIST:
Intro
Bang Bang
Cowboys & Angels
Gotta Hold
High Road
Heartbroken
Cold
Always Been You
Someone in This Room
Pray
It Ain’t Right
Upgrade
While You’re At It
Drunk in the Bathtub
How Could You?
I Could Go Bad
Love Lies
Sip
Wild OnesDirty
SOB
Encore – I Hope it Hurts
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