The Good Girls Tour
On August 14th, The Good Girls Tour visited one of my favorite venues in Madison: The Gamma Ray Bar. The Good Girls Tour was a nationwide tour of two San Diego-based musical acts, Mariela and Saint Misty. They were joined by Madison native Christa Lee.
Located just off Capitol Square, Gamma Ray has perhaps one of the best locations possible for a music club in Madison, although I imagine the rent must be astronomical. It's an intimate venue, but it has a dedicated stage and an aesthetic that's perfect for the kind of punk-adjacent stylings of Mariela and Saint Misty.
Christa Lee
Opening for the evening was Madison local Christa Lee. I listened to Christa Lee's EP, Princess and the EP, before the show and found it extremely charming. She combines alt-pop sounds with a fae-like sense of whimsy that makes for a delightful listen. That whimsy carried over to her live performance, which she performs solo with backing tracks.
Mariela
Hailing from San Diego, Mariela is an indie-pop artist whose work exudes queer joy and stark honesty. Many of her songs take the form of confessionals. To my ear, they often sound like evangelical Christian rock anthems that have been reappropriated to express queer and trans joy rather than dogmatic bigotry. Still, many of her songs are FUN and very danceable!
You can check out more of her work on her website or instagram.
Saint Misty
Also hailing from the sunny shores of San Diego, Saint Misty's religious background, including her escape from a radical Christian cult, inspires her. Her music combines punk sensibilities with poppy synths, producing a sound that is both subversive and sweet. She later embraced her lesbian identity and seeks to uplift women and the LBGTQ+ community.
You can check out more of her work on her website or instagram.
