Concert Review: Caroline Polachek at ACL Live

Caroline Polachek brought audiences into the jungle at the ACL Live Moody Theater on April 25, performing her newest album Desire, I Want To Turn Into You. With a stunning voice, incredible world-building, and beautiful stage production, Polachek’s captivating performance proved to be memorable.

Written by Trisha Dasgupta

Photos by Elizah Funke and Olivia Cagle

Caroline Polachek entertained crowds with a stunning performance at ACL Live on April 25, the latest stop on her “Spiraling” Tour, performing her newest album Desire, I Want To Turn Into You.

The show opened with a set from electro-pop and vaporwave pioneer George Clanton, whose self-deprecating, yet endearing humor made for a magnetic performance peppered with the charm of a stand-up comedian. Performing tracks from his 2018 album Slide and 2022 release George Clanton & Nick Hexum while standing in front of an LED light board displaying different cartoons and light patterns, Clanton often called out to the crowd, referring to them as “Polamaniacs.” Ending his performance with his latest release, “I Been Young,” which he referred to as his “best piece of music yet,” Clanton’s hyperpop production and electrified vocals created a captivating ambiance that left the audience yelling for more.

Soon after, red and soft orange light poured over the stage, and a cracked clock appeared on the screen, counting down from a minute. A volcano taking up half the length of the stage began to simmer, smoke billowing from the top of this tropical jungle scene. The anxious crowd started chanting while a steady drumbeat appeared, acting as a synchronized heartbeat for the concertgoers. Finally, the main act appeared on stage, with larger-than-life and nearly operatic vocals filling the eager venue.

The audience was officially welcomed to Caroline Polachek’s island.

Opening the show with “Welcome to My Island,” the opening track to Desire, I Want To Turn Into You, Polachek did just that, submerging the audience into a jungle atmosphere with echoing vocals just as powerful live as on the studio version, an incredibly impressive feat to pull off. Polachek’s voice is her most potent instrument, clear and intense, and nearly operatic at times — especially so on the opening track.

Following the opener, Polachek briefly took the audience back to her first studio album, Pang, with the track “Hit Me Where It Hurts,” an ode to touring as an artist, and the struggles that come alongside it. However, the throwback to Pang proved to be fleeting, as Polachek then dived back into the epic saga of Desire, I Want To Turn Into You.

Continuing the journey into the Wild West, where Polachek’s second studio album takes place, she sang the lovely “Pretty In Possible” and the delightful “Bunny is a Rider.” Chock full of rich imagery, Polachek’s worldbuilding in Desire translated perfectly to the stage. On the cover of the album, Polachek crawls on her hands and knees through a subway train that’s been taken over by the elements, signaling her journey into the jungle where the crux of the album lies. The concert experience is purposefully built like that, wherein the audience leaves behind their modern problems for a moment to focus on the natural and animalistic urges of love and emotions that the brunette musician sings of.

Ever electric, Polachek cheekily sang out to the crowd, “Now you've got one eye on the lane and one eye on the lava / Spinning out / Yeah, I respect that” while the volcano behind her continued to smoke and bubble, adding to the bursting nature of the hyper indie-pop tune.

Then, the tropical paradise of Polachek’s sonic soundscape turned sour, with the singer pivoting to the track “Sunset,” followed by “Crude Drawing of An Angel.” Polachek took a minute to talk about her artistry, and particularly the second track, which she referred to as “scorny”— a.k.a. sad and horny. Explaining her inspiration for the tune, the singer spoke about the powerful emotions that come with falling in love and all the embarrassing lengths one would go for to hold onto it, singing out: “Draw your blood, draw your breath / Skip the whites of your eyes / 'Til you wake up and watch me / Draw your wings from your back.”

Continuing on the ethereal tunes, Polachek performed “Fly To You,” co-produced by Grimes and Dido. The crowd was clearly energized, with every fan singing along with the singer, entranced by her angelic voice and captivating stage presence. After “Fly to You,” Polachek moved back into older material, singing the titular track of her debut Pang. A perfect indie-pop song, the musician sang out the lyrics and for a few minutes the crowd was in the passenger seat of their best friend’s car, singing to the stars on a warm spring night.

Ending the night with her viral hit, “So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings,” Polachek’s quirky songwriting shone through perfectly, with the whole audience on their feet singing along. Constantly engaged with the audience, Polachek pranced around the stage, her movements almost electric, perfectly timed with the lighting and beats of her syncopated tunes. Often, the singer would pull herself to the very edge of the stage, reaching out to the fans in the mezzanine, inciting screams of affection from every corner of the venue.

With motions akin to that of a seasoned interpretive dancer, Polachek’s magnetic performance ended with a bang, the volcano gaining intensity and smoke engulfing the pit. The musician’s infectious smile lit up the stage, her love for performing evident on her face.

There’s a fierce intensity to Polachek, an artist who produced for the likes of Beyoncé and Grimes before turning to her own music. Uninhibited by standards of what makes for a radio-friendly tune or a marketable track, Polachek is fearless in her creation of incredibly unique and glaringly original production and storytelling. With artistry like that, matched with her truly stunning voice, Polachek stands out from her peers. The artist often cheekily refers to herself as an indie darling, but “The Spiraling” Tour shows the truth: Caroline Polachek is an indie powerhouse.