Performing the first of two sold-out shows at Union Transfer in Philadelphia, Weyes Blood gave the audience an ethereal, theatrical show composed entirely of songs from her critically acclaimed two latest albums – 2019’s Titanic Rising and 2022’s And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow.

Weyes Blood is the moniker of singer-songwriter Natalie Mering, who spent most of her formative years in nearby Doylestown. Telling the audience between songs that this was a true homecoming show and bantering about taking the SEPTA train from the suburbs into the city to see shows at now defunct venues.

Mering was raised by strict Pentecostal parents that closely monitored her media intake and prohibited from watching certain films and listening to secular music. That’s just a bit unexpected considering that her father, Sumner Merring, was a musician in the 70’s that once dated Joni Mitchell and recorded a new wave album with his band Sumner. Natalie had no idea about this until her father pulled out his Fender Stratocaster one day, started playing and telling stories of his younger days.

The 1200 person capacity venue at the corner of 11th and Spring Garden was completely full by the time Mering took the stage. Sporting a thin white cape over a full-length white dress and white boots, Mering kicked the show off with the “It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody” -the first track on her latest album. The second song on the album -”Children Of The Empire-  was also the second song in the setlist for this night. “Something To Believe” and “Andromeda” -from Titanic Rising followed. This pattern of two songs from one album and the two from the other continued for the rest of the night until Mering wrapped the set with “Movies” and “Hearts Aglow.” Mering and her band briefly left stage before returning for the obligatory and stale ‘encore’ that almost every artist feels the need to do. The two song ‘encore’ consisted of “A Given Thing” and “Everyday.”

Talking to people after the show, the general consensus was “God Turn Me Into A Flower” was the highlight of the night. The visuals projected behind Mering and her band beautifully juxtaposed the angelic, downtempo delivery and the lyrics that praise the softness and flexibility of a flower rather than hardness and brittleness.

Listening to Weyes Blood, you immediately think of Laurel Canyon vocalists like Karen Carpenter and ironically enough, Joni Mitchell. Mering’s songwriting is heavily influenced by her religious upbringing and her songs are written with the idea of them being sung in sacred spaces. Union Transfer, which was originally a farmers market, feels like a sacred space and the songs couldn’t have felt better. The large wood arches and beams, along with chandeliers hanging from the ceiling give the room the feeling of a church. Candelabras placed around the stage and a subdued lighting package also lent to the church feel.

Throughout the nearly hour and half set, Mering’s phenomenal voice was on full display. She never has the soaring, powerful moments that so many others use in a way to show off what they can do. Instead, she varies a note slightly to give the feeling of melancholy or yearning. She slides her timeless alto voice into a slightly higher register when you least expect it, or softens her attack into a near whisper. The emotions evoked from her precision would be almost impossible for other vocalists.

Live music has long been what I call church, and on this night Weyes Blood took me to church.

Without the collection basket being passed around.

PHOTOS