Most of my city trips to San Francisco are during broad daylight. But on Friday, October 11th, I headed towards the panhandle at around 7pm, seeing the sunset on the F bus across the Bay.
I often forget how beautiful San Francisco is. Some trees were already decorated with Christmas lights. After my friend Daniela and I remedied our hungry bellies, we headed towards The Independent. The show was to start at 9 and we got in line at 8:45. The line wrapped around the corner, filled with young couples and some kids with their parents. As soon as we entered the venue, we were greeted by the gentle voice of the opener, John Roseboro. There must have been a blessing, because we got spots near the stage as many people were floating around the venue, getting drinks or sitting at the outer edges despite our place in the queue earlier.
When listening to Rosenboro perform, it is almost as if he is whispering into the audience’s ears. The audience responded to his soft hymns with our attention. On stage with him was just one other musician, who constantly switched between the trumpet, bass, and guitar. He sang songs of love and loss paired with sentimental chord progressions; I felt like I was on a fluffy cumulus cloud. The instrumentals were beautiful, the warm lighting on stage replicated the summer’s sun, and I was surrounded by the audience’s participation as we all sang along to “Crumb,” all delicately chanting the lyrics “One of one, one in a million.”
Korean-Canadian indie rock musician Luna Li’s entrance was equivalent to the universe’s Big Bang. The instrumental tension built until she entered the stage. The set began with ‘Confusion Song,’ but it was during the next track, ‘Fantasy,’ that I felt truly transported. I was already floating on a cloud, but Luna Li’s lush sonic landscape guided me into a dream. The instrumentals were beautiful, especially Luna Li’s opening with her flute. The music was so delicate, the autumn breeze could carry it.
Furthermore, the band members’ background vocals blended seamlessly with the overall sound. Li smiled as she performed. Naturally, I smiled too. I clung to each verse, listening to her lyrics full of imagery, listening to her melodic story. She repeats several times in her song “Fantasy is keeping me alive,” I can’t help but feel the same. Sometimes all we have is a dream keeping us sane about what fate has brought to the table.
The stage was adorned with flowers and instruments. As a multi-instrumentalist, Li showcased her musicianship throughout the concert, especially during the instrumental medley from her Jams EP. She shredded on her electric guitar, but when she switched to the violin, it filled me with joy. As a violinist, I love seeing classical instruments in contexts outside of the traditional symphonic setting, and seeing her versatility in the several “classic” instruments—like the flute, harp, and violin— made me so content.
One of my favorites from the night was ‘I Would Let You’ from her recent album When a Thought Grows Wings. It is so achingly sweet and so melancholic.
If you want to see into a dream world
Close your eyes, I will sin for you
During an interview, Luna Li states how this song was originally a list of boundaries and what she is or is not willing to sacrifice, all written in her Notes app as a reflection after the ending of an eight-year-long relationship. She draws boundaries on her selflessness, yet this song reveals the depths she will go to for her loved one. Li’s lyrics suggest that even when utopia remains out of reach, she’s willing to endure hardship to create a semblance of paradise for her loved one. This contrast, between setting limits and pushing past them for the sake of love, adds a bittersweet complexity to the song, making it both a plea and a promise.
The night was filled with cascading melodies and Luna Li’s entrancing music. Her perception of love is so apparent in her latest album, where she wishes her love “to spore like ferns.” She verbalizes thoughts I didn’t know I had—the poetic lyricism, paired with her mastery of harmonies, left me sonically satisfied. That same weekend, I played some of Luna Li’s songs on air; her melodies not only travel through the wind’s breeze but also weave through the hearts of listeners.
Review and photos by Shannon Cheng
