On August 29th, Australian singer-songwriter Angie McMahon performed for around 1,200 fans in the sold-out EartH Hall in Hackney, London. One of the highlights of the nearly two-hour long set was McMahon bringing out her opening act, Hannah McKittrick, to perform a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Blowing in the Wind.” McKittrick opened the show, setting the tune for the evening by inviting the crowd into her world, instantly making the room fall silent to listen to her voice.

It was an evening full of soothing stories and strong vocals. Through her songwriting, McMahon creates a feeling of kinship with the audience, inviting them to share her experiences and the crowd enthusiastically sang along to every word. Throughout the night, there was a strong sense of connection between friends and lovers in the audience, hanging on to McMahon’s every word and silently drawing parallels to the stories she was telling through her music. McMahon’s songs, dealing with topics such as anxiety, were a perfect fit in this intimate setting; she seemed comfortable and collected throughout the performance, chatting to the crowd in-between songs, sharing stories about her life and music.

The set felt vulnerable and raw but joyful at the same time, her songwriting often encouraging and reassuring with lyrics such as “it’s okay, make mistakes” in the song “Letting Go” from her latest album, Light, Dark, Light Again, released in 2023. The set consisted of songs from her 2019 debut album Salt, surprise covers, as well as songs from her latest album. The whole night felt very uplifting, welcoming and was filled with laughs, sadness and appreciation for McMahon, her vulnerability, and ability to comfort the crowd through her songwriting.