By Riley Dauber
Editor-in-Chief
Singer Daphne Eckman, who is from Annapolis, MD, concluded her fall tour with a performance at the Metro Gallery in Baltimore, Md. on Nov. 9. She went on at 9:30 p.m., with the promise to fans of a “big long set” on her Instagram a few hours before the show.
Many Washington College students may recognize Eckman’s name, as she performed on campus last semester for a fundraiser for the Kent Center. Former Elm News editor and ADA chair Grace Apostol ‘24 planned the event, seamlessly introducing students to this fantastic band.
Eckman and her bandmates — bassist Graham Furniss, drummer Robin Eckman, guitarist Mikko Dumadag, and steel, guitar, and banjo player Thomas Beall, who she affectionately calls “the ladies” — embarked on their two-week fall tour starting on Oct. 24 in Washington, D.C. They toured with Diet Lemon, and Coastal Club served as an opener.
The Baltimore venue, complete with a bar and merchandise table, served the group well; the closer one was to the stage, the more likely they were able to connect with Eckman and her music. The smaller, intimate setting paired nicely with the group’s sound.
Eckman started her set with recent release “improvement,” which sees her bitterly attacking an ex-partner. The verses and choruses build until she embraces her anger in the outro.
“Now I’m growing up / Now I’m an adult like you / Now we’re getting somewhere / Now I have a foolproof excuse / To go back to your place / Throwing up on my shoes / I won’t accept that it’s over, in fact I f–king refuse,” Eckman sings.
Mere inches from the stage with the bass reverberating under our feet and our arm hair standing on end, the crowd could feel Eckman’s intense emotions, which fuelled the rest of her set.
At the end of the next song, “Love Island,” Eckman changed her voice to sound like a screaming metal singer. The track was inspired by the aftermath of a situationship in which Eckman strictly watched bad reality television.
One of the show’s highlights was getting to see Eckman perform “good girl,” which came out Oct. 31. She introduced the track by telling a story about her and her band’s 16-day travel experience for their fall tour, which consisted of 13 shows.
“Thomas says I sound like a muppet,” Eckman said, referencing her frequent phrase “my tummy hurts.” Beall then got on the microphone and impersonated Eckman, causing the crowd to burst into giggles and cheers.
Eckman followed up “good girl” with a cover of Phoebe Bridgers’ “Motion Sickness.” Before embracing her current genre, Eckman was creating R&B music; then, she was introduced to Bridgers’ discography.
According to Eckman’s website, her “five piece band devotes everything to emotion, drawing influences of Joni Mitchell, Phoebe Bridgers, Adrienne Lenker, and Radiohead through the filters of chamber pop, indie rock, 70’s soul, and pop-punk.”
Eckman continued to embrace her unique sound as she switched between performing songs off her album, “where you left me,” and covers. As the show came to a close, she revealed the cover wheel, which presents a few song options.
An audience member asked if she could spin the wheel twice, seeing as it was the last show of the tour. Eckman obliged and asked for audience volunteers.
Elm copy editor senior Grace Hogsten was lucky enough to get to spin the wheel. The wheel landed on Paramore’s “The Cure,” which Eckman performed with gusto, giving Hayley Williams a run for her money.
Another fortunate audience member spun the wheel a second time, picking “Sympathy is a knife” by Charli xcx. This option was a surprise and allowed Eckman to try a different style while still catering to her voice and genre.
The show concluded with a performance of popular track “acupuncture.” Similar to the show’s opener, this song shines in the outro.
“Why do I always choose hell over someplace new? / Tear me down, stitch me up, don’t I love this sadist stuff? / Why do I always choose hell over someplace new? / Tear me down, stitch me up, needles never do enough,” Eckman sang before thanking the crowd for coming out and supporting local music.
Following the show, Eckman manned the merchandise table and interacted with fans. Viewers had the opportunity to talk with her, get photos, and monetarily support her by buying T-shirts, tote bags, and vinyls.
Throughout the show, Eckman encouraged the audience to get involved, either clapping during stand-out “jackson pollock” or singing along to the chorus of “iris.” These intimate moments can only be found in these small venues with smaller artists.
Even though the crowds and the excitement are strong draws for larger artists, supporting these up-and-coming artists can prove fruitful for a fun experience.
While Eckman’s tour has come to a close, fans can still appreciate her music by streaming her album and other singles on Spotify. She also frequently posts music updates on her Instagram @daphneeckmanmusic.
Photo by Riley Dauber.
Photo Caption: Daphne Eckman at her final spot on tour, immersing the crowd in the music.