Larkin Poe ‘Bloom’ bright at The Wilbur

Boston’s cozy Wilbur Theatre was charged with electricity on May 12 as sisters Rebecca and Megan Lovell of Larkin Poe stormed through a set of gritty, blues-soaked rock, the packed thousand-seat venue suddenly feeling more like a raucous honky-tonk. The stage itself was draped in lush flower garlands and pastel lighting, a “Midsommar”-like floral pageantry befitting the band’s new Bloom era. Even in a smaller room like the Wilbur, Larkin Poe’s sound felt colossal, a swarm of lap steel, twangy guitars and southern vocals that made the theater pulse.

Amythyst Kiah set the tone early in the evening with a solo acoustic opening set that commanded attention. Alone on stage with just her guitar (and at times a banjo), Kiah delivered an almost mesmerizing Southern-Gothic showcase. Her voice was the star, filling the hall with soulful authority even without a backing band. She moved with quiet confidence, sharing short stories behind her songs and giving the crowd a glimpse of her sharp wit.

When Larkin Poe finally took the stage, the sisters wasted no time dropping into high gear. “Nowhere Fast” exploded from the first chord, Rebecca’s lead vocals tumbling over Megan’s lap steel. It makes for a powerful one-two punch. The band ripped through a stream of new and classic tunes, from the swampy “Summertime Sunset” to the groovy “Bluephoria.” Along the way the Lovells hit high points from their latest album Bloom, rockers like “Easy Love Pt. 1” and the defiant, soulful stomp of “If God Is a Woman.

This show in particular was a special one, both for Megan and the audience. This show happened to fall on Megan’s birthday, something the crowd was very aware of as they led a singalong of “Happy Birthday” to a gleeful Lovell. And you could tell performing was exactly where she wanted to be on her birthday.

The latter half of the night sizzled with electricity. Larkin Poe’s cover of John Denver’s “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” was a standout. By the time they roared into the AC/DC cover “Wanted Woman” and the anthem “Pearls,” the packed house was utterly loose. All night long Larkin Poe’s onstage chemistry was undeniable: Rebecca’s powerhouse voice and Megan’s slide-guitar licks wove together in tight lockstep, the kind of sibling chemistry that can only come from decades of playing together.

Follow Larkin Poe: Website | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | Spotify

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *