If you had any doubts that Cooper had severed ties with her Americana past, she is here to shut them down.
Before she even stepped on Black Cat’s stage Monday, October 4th, we got a taste of what was to come: amps covered in kiss marks, glittery guitars, red gel lights, and Persian rugs, to name a few. Even Cooper herself leaned into the aesthetic, sporting ripped fishnets, pink flame socks, and a custom studded bomber jacket with her sophomore album’s title embossed over her shoulders. Plus, adding on to her newfound “idgaf/bad bitch” vibe, Cooper started the show by spitting her gum into her set list.
The concert’s music can best be described as rock with a twang. Cooper’s band couldn’t go a couple minutes without playing an amazing guitar solo, drum beat, or synth melody, and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. Cooper achieved an almost impossible feat within new age rock: she made rock music approachable and homey.
Cooper stopped partway through one song to comment on “how quiet the crowd is,” but that she didn’t mind because every city brings its own energy, and she loves them all equally. She even pointed out how she was so glad to be seeing new and familiar faces. It’s very easy to see why fans keep coming back after experiencing the hour long set. Cooper’s vocals are stellar, and her music’s range encompasses everything from angsty anthems to stripped down folk tunes. When she took a step back from the guitar and sang acoustically during the show, her phenomenal voice absolutely lit up the audience.
Cooper has certifiably and successfully transitioned genres in a way that remains fluid and true to herself. Her new look may appear edgy and intimidating, but she reminded the crowd that her jacket affectionately reads “ho-ass” when covered by a guitar strap. It’s with small gestures like this (and the community vape session at the end of the concert) that Cooper reminds us not to take ourselves too seriously and that finding ourselves should be fun. We can always “redefine genres” and allow ourselves to grow. Liz Cooper proved that at Black Cat Monday night.
Stream Hot Sass on Spotify here.
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