With the flicker of a gas station lighter, the intended atmosphere of Katie Gavin’s first solo tour became evident. As a crew member lit incense placed within an artful candelabra, the crowd simmered with anticipation. The lights of The Blue Room dimmed and the sudden start of a Charli XCX track elicited fervent cheers from the sold-out crowd.
“What A Relief” marks Gavin’s first solo album. Gavin is a member of indie-pop band MUNA, but she took time in 2024 to work on a solo record. She shared more about the process of creating her first solo album.
“[It was] cool [to be] able to write about whatever I’m feeling and it to have a place on the record,” Gavin said.
It’s clear that “What A Relief” is Gavin’s passion-project, as it showcases her most personal lyrics to date.
Gavin emerged onto the stage as a headlining artist, with a ceramic strawberry teapot in hand. As she poured two cups of tea — one for herself and the other for her backup instrumentalist — she made her intentions for the show clear: to ensure The Blue Room would be as cozy as possible. With the venue already being one of Nashville’s most intimate concert venues with a capacity of 250, Gavin’s props only heightened the sense of closeness.
Kicking off the second leg of the “What A Relief Tour” in Nashville, Gavin introduced herself as if she were a close friend, commenting “the vibes are so respectful in here.” Sitting down with her acoustic guitar, she started her set with the delicate melody of “Today,” which created a tender mood for the evening. Audience members watched intently as Gavin’s folksy vocals bounced off the curved walls of the venue.
As Gavin sipped her tea, strummed her guitar and spoke to the audience in a casual manner, the concert began to remind us of a childhood sleepover. As the night continued, Gavin only created more inside jokes and laughter with the crowd, reminiscent of the comfort one feels among their tightest group of friends. The audience then supported Gavin’s background vocals through her song “Sparrow,” strengthening the sense of comfort and respect that permeated throughout the room.
Gavin brought singer-songwriter Courtney Marie Andrews to the stage to perform a duet of Gavin’s song “As Good As It Gets.” Their harmonized voices highlighted the confessional nature of the song, as Gavin’s lyrics candidly confess: “I think this is as good as it gets / Pray to God that you think that it is enough.” The lyrics display a profound vulnerability from Gavin, who smiled as the audience echoed her lyrics back.
Our personal favorite was “Inconsolable,” a song that highlighted the natural country twang of Gavin’s voice. She powerfully played the fiddle and sang to an increasingly lively audience. When the song ended, an audience member gifted Gavin a crochet lizard in reference to lyrics about baby lizards. Smiling, Gavin thanked the audience member and joked that the lizard was “giving he/they.”
Throughout the show, Gavin played a variety of instruments, including the acoustic guitar, the keys and a shruti box. Between songs, she maintained a friendly banter with the audience, which showcased her bubbly sense of humor and a relatable amount of self-deprecating jokes. When describing the song “I Want It All,” Gavin explained that its premise could be summarized as “your typical gay yearning,” as she then playfully added, “a hobby which I then made a profession.”
Gavin once again picked up her fiddle to play a passionate rendition of “The Baton.” The song’s touching message about aging as a women and the connection we share with our mothers and possible future children seemed to uplift audience members, as they bobbed their heads and sang back to Gavin, upon her request, the seminal second line of the chorus: “The baton, it will be passed again.”
Gavin finished the concert strong with “Aftertaste,” her first single release off “What A Relief” and her most streamed song. When she strummed the first few chords on guitar, one audience member clapped passionately, which sparked an infectious laugh from Gavin. The crowd belted out the lyrics in what felt like the perfect culmination of the obvious impact Gavin’s music has already made on fans.
After being taken on a journey of self-reflection, grief and gay yearning, we both left Katie Gavin’s “What A Relief Tour” feeling “As Good As It Gets.”
