Saint Avangeline with support from Karissa Love and Max Madly turned The Roxy into an ethereal, magical realm on October 19th. It was a very poetic night that took you somewhere else for a bit. For me, I went in blind and ended up being pleasantly surprised. Each artist had a similar mystical feeling to them but was distinctly different. Meanwhile, everyone in the crowd appeared to be completely captivated and mesmerized.

Karissa Love brought us into the night with her deeply moving poetry while also elegantly moving on the stage. I loved how her outfit reminded me of the beautiful fairytale outfits you see at a renaissance fair. A lot of her poetry was unreleased, which made the experience feel more special.

She even had Saint Avangeline come on as a surprise guest to perform her poem "Strange." Karissa's deeply cutting words and Saint Avangeline’s beautifully haunting vocals felt like being trapped in a dream. Karissa's last line, “the cautionary tale of a sacred, tragic, beautiful thing,” was haunting—the kind of haunting that stays with you.

Now, Max Madly came out in an iconic goth fit with a presence that even Wednesday Addams would respect. Listening to her music makes me feel as if I’m walking through a haunted forest at night—scary, beautiful, and unpredictable. Be it when she was on guitar or just moving around on stage, she graced it with a confidence that anyone could see.

She blessed the audience with a lot of unreleased music and her songs "Delusion," "The Death of Edwina," "Morrow," and "Bones of Ours." We also got to hear her own take on the Persian song "The Seed That Dreamed of Its Own Creation." For me, her music is easy to relate to, and I’m sure the same can be said for the fans as well. If I were to put it in a category, I couldn't—her sound is unique and raw. Labeling it under a genre wouldn't do the songs justice. Her music and powerful vocals leave a chill down your spine with a desire for more.

Saint Avangeline was glowing as she entered the stage. She looked like a fairytale princess and a renaissance painting at the same time. When the lights went blue, pink, and purple, it perfectly captured the depth of her sadness as she sang. When the lights were warmer colors, you could feel her strength and courage. Each move she made on stage felt like it had purpose to it. Her range was also impressive—she went from soft and gentle to screams that would impress any metal artist out there. She even got the crowd headbanging, and you could see the whole band was getting into it too.

She’s not afraid to talk about heavy topics that need to be addressed, such as her experience coming to terms with being sexually assaulted by a partner she trusted. This is, unfortunately, a reality for many people but still gets swept under the rug. I admire her bravery in coming forward about it. "Lilith" is a song that has given me strength even with my own experiences.

Even sitting down on a chair that looked like it was from a Victorian mansion, she still carried the same amount of power and presence in her songs. Her performance was something you couldn't look away from, and it was quite literally her first show.

Saint Avangeline captured the hearts of everyone around her during her first-ever performance. I can’t even imagine how she’s going to change the world from here—not to mention having hauntingly memorable openers like Karissa Love and Max Madly. I’m excited to catch these artists the next chance I get.