Tuesday night at Brighton Music Hall was one of those shows where you could tell you were early to something big. Not that Em Beihold is unknown. “Numb Little Bug” alone has introduced her to millions of people. But in the sense that the room she was playing in felt about three sizes too small for what she was delivering.
Janani K. Jha opened the evening in fitting fashion. She’s a Harvard alum who told the crowd she is Em Beihold’s biggest fan, and her sound slotted naturally into the night’s feeling. She did exactly what a good opener should. warmed up a room with an artist hand selected by the headliner.
When Beihold took the stage, Brighton Music Hall was packed wall to wall with one of the more eclectic crowds you’ll see at a Tuesday night show. Kids as young as eight stood next to older fans, and a notable contingent of dads who had been very clearly dragged there by their children. Beihold even clocked it immediately herself. “How many dads were dragged here by their kids tonight? I can tell there’s quite a few of you.” An army of dads had their hands raised immediately.
What struck me most was how the entire room knew the material. Not just the hits. Every single song. “Hot Goblin” and “Numb Little Bug” got the reactions you’d expect, but tracks like “Brutus” and “Soup!” drew just as much energy from a crowd that had clearly had this album on repeat since it dropped earlier this year. When we spoke with Beihold ahead of Tales of a Failed Shapeshifter‘s release, she talked about finally making the music she’d always wanted to make, about shutting out outside voices and trusting her own instincts. Tuesday night was proof that those instincts were right.
The personal highlight of the evening was a cover of Regina Spektor’s “Us,” a direct nod to one of the artists Beihold regularly cites as a foundational influence. Alongside Fiona Apple, Sara Bareilles, and Kate Nash, that early 2000s piano-driven lineage that clearly runs through everything she does. Most casual fans of Regina Spektor’s work will know it from the film 500 Days of Summer, where it opened the film. At this show, it hit like a nostalgic gut punch. Beihold’s version carried warmth and sincerity and it felt like a genuine tribute rather than just a set piece.
The set also included an unreleased track, “Who Died and Made You God?,” which gave the audience something to look forward to, despite her new album releasing only recently. At one point Beihold polled the crowd on whether they wanted “Groundhog Day” or “City of Angels” next, the room divided loudly enough that she shrugged and played both.
She closed the main set on “Hot Goblin” before heading offstage with the mic still on, letting the audience catch snippets of her backstage commentary including, naturally, a few lines about
Dunkin’ Donuts. It’s Boston. Of course we had to be known for our Dunkin’ obsession. The bit got some good laughs before she returned for the inevitable “Numb Little Bug,” her biggest hit, which sent the room home exactly as you’d want.
Beihold has talked openly about the disorientation that followed her breakout, the noise of too many voices, the writer’s block, and the long road back to herself. Tales of a Failed Shapeshifter was her answer to all of that. Tuesday night at Brighton was the live proof of concept. She should be selling out arenas. It’s only a matter of time. Em Beihold’s Tales of a Failed Shapeshifter Tour continues through May and June. Get your tickets here.
Nathan Smith is a Providence-based music photographer and journalist focusing on capturing the special moments and unfiltered magic of live performances. Whether he’s shooting established artists at sold-out TD Garden shows or documenting the rise of emerging local bands, his goal is the same: to pull viewers directly into the heart of the moment.
His writing spotlights rising artists and local scenes, with a focus on telling the stories that often get overlooked. A lifelong music fan and musician himself, Nathan approaches interviews and portraits as conversations rather than transactions, building trust with artists so their genuine personalities can shine through. Whether he’s backstage, in the photo pit, or at home in front of the keyboard, he brings the same curiosity and care to every assignment.
Outside of his press work with Juice Box Press, Nathan works regularly as a photographer with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, as well as numerous bands in the Boston and Providence area. Nathan also plays violin with a local orchestra, follows Celtics basketball almost religiously, and is an avid fantasy reader.