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Molly Burch Brings Lincoln Hall Into Her Whimsical World

Writer's picture: Rebecca AckermanRebecca Ackerman

Updated: Mar 6, 2023

Words and Photos by Rebecca Ackerman


It was a cloudy and rainy Tuesday night when Bnny and Molly Burch took the stage on May 3 at Lincoln Hall in Chicago, IL for the opening night of their Midwest and East Coast tour. Lincoln Hall may be one of the more intimate venues I’ve been to recently. With no barrier between the stage and the crowd, everything feels incredibly close.


At a little past 8pm, Bnny graced the stage. Originally from Chicago, this show felt special. Led by lead singer Jess Viscius, the quintet brought an air of calm and whimsy to the venue. At one point during the show, Viscius said it had been their first show in Chicago in a long time, so I’d imagine it must’ve felt good to be back performing in their home city. Throughout their set, Viscius swayed from side-to-side, really feeling the music. Her whispered vocals reflected the vulnerability in her songs. Bnny played various songs from their 2021 album Everything, such as ‘August,’ ‘Little Flower,’ and ‘Promises.’


Bnny’s set had a way of putting the crowd at ease while getting them ready to see Molly Burch. There was even a running joke of Viscius continuously asking the crowd how they were feeling in between songs. The crowd really seemed like they were vibing with the set, and I could see there were a few people becoming fan as the set came to an end.


I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that ‘Red (Taylor’s Version)’ by Taylor Swift was on their pre-show setlist between Bnny’s and Molly Burch’s set. The crowd was small but mighty and more than willing to make their way to see the show on a weeknight.


The stage, adorned with flower-covered microphones and pianos and a white, fluffy carpet underneath the drum set, was ready for Molly Burch.


Burch waltzed onto the stage in a flowy and glittery, white dress with matching white, calf high boots. When she spun around, the full beauty of her dress showed. Backed by her three bandmates, she played a good variety of songs from her most recent album, Romantic Images and her 2017 and 2018 albums, Please Be Mine and First Flower, respectively. Some of the songs Burch played were ‘To The Boys’, ‘Please Be Mine,’ ‘Emotion feat. Wild Nothing,’ and ‘Try.’ That’s just a sampling of what we were all so lucky to hear last night.


When she played ‘Please Be Mine,’ the disco ball on the ceiling started to turn and created a beautiful effect in the entire venue. I’ve never been in a venue that used a disco ball during a concert, but now I want one at every show.


As she was winding down her show, Burch sang a cover of ‘Believe’ by Cher, which perfectly sums up the heartbreak, self-love, and yearning in her discography. She thanked us all for coming out on a Tuesday and claimed she would’ve been too tired to attend a show on a Tuesday night. The audience was enthralled by her. Her voice had a way of carrying through the venue and captivating everyone. I saw people dancing, swaying, and looking up at her in awe.


When the crowd cheered for an encore, she came back onstage alone with a guitar. I’ve never seen an encore that was acoustic, but I did enjoy it. It tied back in the intimacy I felt when I first walked into Lincoln Hall. Burch played her new, unreleased song, ‘Bed,’ that she’s been working on, and you can hear snippets of it on Instagram and TikTok. Her final song was an acoustic cover of Ariana Grande’s ‘needy.’ Ending on a cover was another choice that sets Burch’s show apart from others I’ve seen recently; however, it was the perfect ending to her set.


I left the show feeling a sense of peace and comfort that stuck with me on my drive home.


You can see Molly Burch on the rest of her Midwest and East Coast tour at any of these places below!


May 05 - Toronto, ON - The Great Hall

May 07 - Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall

May 09 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg

May 10 - Hamden, CT - Space Ballroom

May 11 - Philadelphia, PA - The Foundry

May 13 - Washington, DC - Songbyrd


Molly Burch


Opener: Bnny





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© 2024 by Rebecca Ackerman

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