TV Girl, an indie pop band from California, made their way to Royal Music Theatre to perform a sold-out show on October 15th, 2023. TV Girl was formed in 2010 and currently consists of Brad Petering, Jason Wyman, and Wyatt Harmon.
The indie pop band opened their set with the song “I’ll Be Faithful,” from their newest studio album. They then followed with three tracks from their first album, “French Exit.” The three songs, “Pantyhouse,” “Hate Yourself” and “Louise,” warmed up the crowd.
From their second studio album, “Who Really Cares,” they continued with the popular song “Cigarettes out the Window.” This was the first moment in the show where I noticed a sea of phones go up to record the viral song.
There was a seamless transition from the “French Exit” song, “Birds Don’t Sing,” to “Daughter of a Cop.”
Another sea of cell phones started recording at the first note of “Not Allowed” from the album “Who Really Cares.” Petering joked about their TikTok viral songs and let the crowd know they would be sure to play them. TV Girl has gained a lot of TikTok fame, making a lot of their current following of a younger age. This translated to the live show, and the crowd was full of young fans— for many, this was their first concert.
Before continuing the set, Petering made sure to mention that he knew TV Girl fans weren’t crazy about their newest album. “Grapes Upon the Vine” was a noteworthy departure from their earlier material and includes a sample from a gospel song and spiritual themes. Petering stated on stage, “It’s not the album you want, but the album you need,” and joked “These kids could probably use a little spirituality in their life.”
After speaking his sentiment about the new album, they then proceeded to play three songs in a row from it. This included “The Night Time,” “99.5” and “Fire.” Despite the mixed reviews about this album, the crowd enjoyed the songs anyway.
Next up were the acclaimed songs “Safeword,” “The Blonde,” “Blue Hair” and “Loving Machine.” At the beginning of “The Blonde,” the band slowed it down when singing the lyrics and the crowd joined in. This marked a beautiful and intimate moment between the band and the audience.
They followed with a cover of “Jimmy Mack,” from the band Martha Reeves & The Vandellas.
Back to their music, they played upbeat tunes, “Taking What’s Not Yours,” and “Heaven Is a Bedroom,” from the album, “Who Really Cares.”
Following was their much-anticipated encore, which featured their most popular song,”Lovers Rock.”
“Lovers Rock” has over 500 million listens on Spotify and the crowd knew every word. Petering said, “This song is about the things we leave behind after a relationship dies.”
They finished their 21-song set with “It Evaporates,” a song only true fans would know, as it is not available on popular streaming services.
Overall, TV Girl’s music incorporates elements of pop, electronic and indie genres characterized by catchy melodies. Their music is laid-back and easygoing, making for a relaxed live performance that was easy to watch and enjoy.
