The MUNA-fication of Boston

By Julia Norkus

MUNA drew the right crowd for a righteous party to celebrate love and acceptance on Sept. 19 at the Royale.

Some fans donned cowboy hats, a few Hawaiian shirts, and many were clad in leather jackets, but overall, each fan displayed the pride that falls in line with the music of MUNA.

This was my first show going stag, and I don’t think I could have been in better company. Dancing was required and sweating was encouraged as opener Meet Me @ The Altar warmed up the crowd for a night of enchantment. The opening trio reminded me of Paramore, with their sweet guitar licks, outrageous vocals, sick hairstyles and the warmest and most welcoming stage presence.

Meet Me @ the Altar, a group composed of lead singer Edith Victoria (she/her), drummer Ada Juarez (she/her) and guitarist/bassist Téa Campbell (she/her), met on Youtube many moons ago. Victoria mentioned that both Juarez and Campbell were starting a band, and that while she auditioned, she didn’t make the cut right away. Victoria jokingly mentioned that she decided to “stalk” them until they let her into the band, and that it was poetic that they ended up where they are now. 

Meet Me @ the Altar shared that many of the songs they played during their set were unreleased, but they did make room for some of the singles that put them on the radar. A personal favorite of mine, “Garden,” was introduced as a song about going through something difficult, but making it out the other side. The lines that elicited the strongest response in me were, “I’ll always be right here / When everything’s unclear / Please promise you won’t let go,” along with, “Hold on til morning / Forget all the scoring / Your flowers will finally grow.” 

Before their final song, Meet Me @ the Altar’s Edith Victoria started a chant for the main act, the whole crowd uttering one word: “MUNA, MUNA, MUNA.”

The three-piece band opened with a song from their latest self-titled album, called “What I Want,” a song about not giving a fuck about what anyone thinks and doing whatever it is you’ve been denying yourself. The group played nearly straight through their set, taking a few moments to incorporate witty banter to emphasize their closeness and love for each other as a band. Sometimes they paused to nod to Naomi McPherson’s (they/them) synthesizer genius, or to joke about being in middle school again when the group covered The Killers’ early ‘00s anthem “Mr. Brightside.” 

They performed other favorites from their new self titled album, bringing the audience through a whirlwind of different emotions. Each song was carefully chosen to bring us through the process of healing, of hurting and of learning to let go.

One of their growth anthems from MUNA included “Kind of Girl,” followed by heartbreak anthem “Taken” from their second album, Saves the World (2019). Lead singer Katie Gavin (she/they) introduced the latter by saying, “That song was for the healthy girlies. This one is for the messy ones, and it’s okay to be both.” Gavin said it with a smile as she acknowledged the humanity in all of us, that we’ve all been both even when we didn’t want to be.

The freeness of the performers on stage was almost like watching the routines we often perform in the shower or at slumber parties—the times where we let go and feel our most authentic. The way they grooved with each other and played off of each other’s energy made the performance that much more enjoyable; you could see that they were having the time of their lives. 

In their final minutes, the band played their song “I Know a Place,” reminding the audience that sometimes finding safety is difficult, especially when it comes to being accepted as we are. Ending their show with their queer anthem “Silk Chiffon” confirmed that there will always be a safe space in the community that has been created by MUNA, where being who you are and loving who you want comes along with being a fan.

Watching MUNA proved to me that no matter who’s watching, no matter how many people see you, you are more than allowed to be yourself. There’s value in self expression, and there will always be a place to go, especially if  MUNA is around to share it.