Madison Cunningham Bowery Ballroom 10/01/23 NYC
Written By: Juliette Gongora
I first heard of Madison Cunningham music when she was announced as the supporting act for Harry Styles Harryween show. Since then, I very quickly and easily became a fan. I was drawn by her passion which seeps through her fingers into her instrument, her unique production and melodic lines, as well as her vocal tone and control. So when I attended that show back in October of 2021, I decided immediately that I would have to see her perform a headline show. Two years later, here we are at a sold-out show at Bowery Ballroom with ‘Madison Cunningham’ on the marquee.
As Madison Cunningham took the stage at Bowery Ballroom with her enchanting black cape dress, the crowd beamed with excitement and joy. The first notes of “Something To Believe In” started to play, and the audience prepared for an evening of exceptional musicianship, artistry, and an “underpaid guitar tech” (as Madison referred to herself throughout the show– that which she is evidently not). All around me I heard people continuously praise her talent and being endlessly blown away by her voice and guitar skills filled with impressive riffs and varying tones. “She’s amazing,” said one person next to me, sounding completely speechless. Whether you had been a fan for a long time, or happened to attend this special show, it was evident that Madison performances exhibit live music at its best. The setlist was stacked with a range of tempos and emotions, guaranteed to keep you mesmerized by her stage presence. With groovy songs like “ Hospital”, “Pin It Down” and “ Anywhere ”, the crowd became electric at the sound of the fun melodies and funky bass line. An unforgettable moment in the show was when Cunningham began “ Common Language” from her 2019 debut album release titled, Who Are You Now . As the lights dimmed to a purple revealing a spotlight on the singer-songwriter, Cunningham began with siren-like vocalizations, keeping the audience in silence and entirely under a trance. Her voice engulfed the entire room and left everyone spellbound.
As Cunningham concluded the final notes in “Common Language” you could feel the crowd pine for more, not ready for the night to be over. And luckily it wasn’t, yet. Accompanied by a string quartet, Cunningham closed out her show with an encore of my favorite songs, “Life According To Raechel ” and “Broken Harvest”. You could hear me audibly gasp as I started to recognize the tune of “Broken Harvest” being played, closing out the night with a beautiful rendition supported by her smooth and powerful vocals, warranting lots of whooping and clapping in awe of her raw talent. And with this mind-blowing performance the night of Madi and her not-so silent crowd came to an end, leaving both me and the audience fulfilled and in admiration.
