REVIEW: Aldous Harding @ Sinclair 9/14
Photo credit: Mark Allan
Review by Iris Broisat
Midway through a captivating set, Aldous Harding threw herself on the stage floor, rolling around and laughing in an almost hysterical manner. Amid bright blue lights, a repetitive drum beat and dissonant guitar chords, this surprising moment perfectly encapsulated the singer’s personality and performance — enigmatic, expressive and whimsical.
Accompanied by her band, Harding took the stage at The Sinclair in Cambridge, Mass., on Sept. 14 for a sold-out concert.
Doors opened at 7 p.m., and at 8 p.m., after a moment of technical difficulties with the microphone, the opening act began. Consisting of Matt Popieluch, playing soft 12-string fingerstyle melodies, and Sam Burton, strumming bluesy six-string chords, the guitar duo introduced the night with soft ‘70s–style folk songs.
Besides one Fred Neil cover, the musicians performed original tracks from Burton’s new album “Fairweather Friend” and from Big Search, Popieluch’s band. The artists sang angelic vocal harmonies, comparable to those of the musical duo Crosby & Nash, making the packed venue seem intimate.
At the end of their six-song set, the performers joked about Aldous Harding and her band not being from the U.S., saying “Now it’s time to teach her and her band American slang,” before leaving the stage.
During intermission, the audience grew. Fans excitedly waited for New Zealand indie-folk singer Aldous Harding, who has been on tour since May 2026, to come out.
“I think I might be star-struck when I see her,” said one audience member.
At 9 p.m., the songwriter took the stage alongside her band, wearing a red tracksuit as loud cheers echoed throughout the venue. The show immediately started with “Train on the Island,” a soulful psychedelic folk song from her 2026 album of the same name, showcasing Harding’s impressive vocals straight off the bat, which were embellished by jarring guitar and bass riffs.
Spectators watched silently and intently as the artist slowly danced, raising her arms and rolling her eyes back into her head, seemingly completely consumed by the music.
The following songs, which included “I Ate the Most,” “One Stop” and “Treasure,” continued to demonstrate Harding and her band’s unique stage presence and style: looped keyboard chord progressions, groovy bass lines, surprising vocal melodies and abrupt endings all contributed to the unpredictability of the show.
It wasn’t until the fifth song, “Venus in the Zinnia,” that Harding finally spoke directly to the audience, muttering a sultry “hi” and waving; a greeting that was well received by the crowd, who enthusiastically responded.
The singer seemed very shy, reserved and even uncomfortable between songs during applause, timidly looking around at her surroundings with a wide-eyed stare like a newborn baby. However, her character would drastically change while she was singing, dancing in a hypnotizing and graceful way, impressively growing in confidence before amazed spectators.
Though she didn’t talk much, that didn’t mean there was no connection shared between the artist and her audience: on the contrary, this bond seemed to grow stronger throughout the concert. Around the middle of her set, Harding started to point at individuals in the crowd, smiling and laughing and making hilarious grimaces at them. She even joked, “See, I can be fun.”
The tenth song of the set, “San Francisco,” had a very unique style, a fusion between R&B, folk and alternative rock. At the end of the track, Harding said, “We were all in that one together, weren’t we.” The audience brightened up and clapped in agreement.
The energy of the songs started to rise after that, going from softer fingerstyle-folky ones to more intense pop-rock songs. To match this liveliness, Harding stood up and took off her jacket during “What Am I Gonna Do?,” revealing a flowy white top; the audience whistled and cheered.
The crowd started to come alive throughout these last few songs, dancing and singing instead of simply watching the performance in silence and awe like before, mimicking Harding’s rise in energy.
Before the last song of the set, which Harding said was “a song about me,” the singer-songwriter thanked the audience.
“This really has been wonderful. I feel really close to everyone. Thank you for letting me be myself.”
After the song, the band left the stage, and the audience cheered loudly and endlessly, demanding they come out for one more song. Their pleas were answered when Harding reentered the stage for “Imagining My Man” and “Designer.” Both were softer folk songs that ended the night on a comforting note.
Having been in the industry for over two decades, Harding’s experience as a musician is obvious when she performs. Her hypnotizing stage presence and her strong connection with the audience make her shows unique and enjoyable.