Photographer: Sarah

On Sunday, August 2, the band of Montreal brought their show to the Crescent Ballroom in Phoenix, Arizona, accompanied by a very special guest, Sloppy Jane. The show was a perfect capsule of bizarre, chaotic theatrics, an absolute fever dream that fans never want to wake up from.

Although Sloppy Jane wasn’t the headlining act, the audience was well prepared for and extremely engaged with frontwoman Haley Dahl’s electric energy. She conducted the band like an orchestra, crawled around the stage, delivered haunting vocals, formed intimate connections with fans during songs, and topped it all off with a New Year’s countdown (because we all deserve a fresh reset, even if it’s only August).

It’s rare to witness such a high level of effort and style from an opening act, whether due to limited set time, fear of not being appreciated, or a combination of both. Sloppy Jane, however, proved them wrong, making every moment of concertgoers’ early arrival worthwhile and setting new standards for opening acts. If the show I had the pleasure of experiencing was just a sample of what a headlining Sloppy Jane show is like, I am beyond eager for an opportunity to see them headline soon!

photos by Sarah