Only half a song in at the Royale, and mercury held the crowd in the palm of her hand. 

Maddie Kerr, known by the stage name “mercury,” opened for Arcy Drive at the Royale on Nov. 7. As this was the second-to-last show on the tour, she promised to make it special.

Her performance was simplistic. As audience members trickled in, mercury’s soft voice filled the static air. The bare-bones stage stood out against the gaudy chandeliers and rococo-esque gilded ceiling of the Royale. Mercury kept her set short, pausing between songs to thank the audience and explain that the band usually appears as a 5-piece crew, as opposed to the three-person set-up they had on stage. According to her, there’s normally a lot more noise. 

The difference is evident when you listen to the song “Crick,” from mercury’s EP “Together We Are One, You and I.” The recorded version is heavy on the instruments, with electric guitar contrasting against her ballad-like vocals. The acoustic performance of the song played at the Royale focused more on soft vocals, which shone over the guitar. It was haunting, not rageful. Both versions are wonderful for what they are, and I commend her for choosing to perform such a different version on stage. 

The band didn’t move around much on stage, focusing their energy on playing. The lights, however, shifted from blues to oranges to purples, catching on mercury’s long curls. When she peeked up at the audience through a veil of hair, it felt special, as if she were about to whisper a secret. Her choice to play a yet-to-be-released song, lamenting about a person who continues to have a hold on her, worked with this energy. At a venue like the Royale, with a legal standing capacity of 1220 people, creating an intimate environment is difficult. 

The acoustic set contrasted with Arcy Drive’s following masterpiece. The band was energetic, throwing themselves around the stage and into the pit. Most striking was the way the crowd easily reflected the energy on stage. When mercury crooned into the mic, the audience was silent, swaying in tune. When Arcy Drive took the reins, the shift was immediate. Although Arcy Drive rocked the Royale, the audience was sad to say goodbye to mercury.