You wouldn’t think that going to The Wicket Hall on a grim Tuesday December evening would be a good idea, but you’d be wrong. Sometimes you need some musically-inclined and talented gals to take you on an introspective journey and be around like-minded folks. Or, at least, I needed that. Luckily, Hannah Georgas returned to Victoria supporting her new album, and she brought along Vancouver’s Sam Lynch as an opener. It was a cozy evening and . . . when you enter a venue feeling a bit tired and drained and see everyone else sitting down and talking in hushed tones — perfection.
Sam Lynch opened with a solo acoustic set of beautiful “hush-rock” (which is an amazing descriptor from her social media channels!) Her songs contain repetitive refrains and soft, clear vocals that flowed over the crowd like water. She remarked, “You’re so quiet! I could hear the tab creak open on a beer can.” It was a respectful and calm crowd that was there to enjoy some lovely tunes on a Tuesday in December, no complaints here. Her songs have great refrains, repeated like mantras, one Good Year that I’ll be repeating going into 2024: “It’ll be a good year.” She will be releasing new music soon, as her last album was 2020’s Little Disappearance, and she debuted some stellar new songs.
Hannah Georgas has a history with Victoria and with Wicket Hall (back when it was Distrikt). She quipped that, the last time she was in that particular space, she was “Probably grinding to Sean Paul” during her uni days at UVic. We’ve all been there and miss those light up floors. In stark contrast to those club days, Georgas opened her set with Scratch, from her latest album, I’d Be Lying If I Said I Didn’t Care. This song of starting over *yet again* sets the tone for the rest of the set which felt nostalgic and reflective. She sings about heartbreak and missing someone who shouldn’t matter anymore on tracks like Better Somehow and Someone I Don’t Know, the latter described as being in a relationship that you know is bad. Her indie soft pop reads like a diary and I am here for it this winter season.
Georgas did also give us some great numbers to sway to. Robotic, Home, and Not the Name You Say had one particular gentleman make his way to the front of the stage and dance with abandon. It was great to see someone really get into the music and he even managed to get another person to join him in his dancing escapades.
As someone who was really into Georgas back in the early 2010s, it was a great trip down memory lane. Sam Lynch was the perfect accompaniment on the tour, and I look forward to hearing more from her. The venue was intimate, inviting, and calm, which really led to a great vibe. If you want to explore either Lynch’s or Georgas’ albums, I’d recommend popping on some headphones and going for a walk in nature or curled up in a blanket with some tea. You can thank me later.
