You may have seen her from her viral moment of getting discovered in the parking lot of a Zach Bryan concert, or from her videos captioned “Oh no, the New Yorkers are making country music now,” but Oberlin students got the opportunity to meet Sarah Gross during her concert on March 14, at the Cat in the Cream.
But before the main act took the stage, student band Marron Lane made their grand debut. This 4-piece group played a mixture of originals, and covers of eclectic soft rock and indie folk — drawing comparisons to artists like Iron & Wine and Counting Crows. You would have no idea from the music alone that it was their first time performing together.
By cycling through multiple band members on lead vocals — they kept the set fresh and engaging, while maintaining a laid-back tone. When the rhythm guitarist/background vocalist took the lead, I was caught off guard by the confidence of his delivery. Throughout their set, Marron Lane was able to impress without ever doing too much.
Sarah Gross and the Killjoy’s performance had all the polish of musicians with years of touring experience, and all of the heart as well. Gross began with the upbeat earworms Dogear and State I’m In, flourished with bright keyboard and slide guitar. The band brushed off the occasional sound system glitch with ease, using the opportunity to give a shout out to the Concert Sound technicians.
It was Gross’s high vocal run at the end of her song Naturally that truly sold her talent. Soon after, she brought the audience into her world by explaining the story behind her latest EP “The Library,” released on March 4. The tales of her family gave us a taste of Gross’s sentimentality and a glimpse into her writing process. Sweet numbers like Sibling Song sounded no less rehearsed than her older material. Her vocals were powerful and well enunciated, yet never overstated. Her strong country tone never wavered, even during her solo acoustic section.
A highlight of the night was the only cover on the setlist. The crowd was euphoric during her honky tonk rendition of Chappell Roan’s Red Wine Supernova. She invited them to sing along during the call and response bridge. The choice to cover a recent pop hit worked so well because Gross put her own spin on it — joking that she was responsible for Roan going country on her latest single.
Gross’s stage presence felt totally natural — showing she has mastered the art of playful banter and transitions from one track to the next. There was just enough storytelling between songs to provide a chance for her to connect with new audiences. Coming-of-age themes of female rage and female joy reverberated through all of her lyrics. She made sure to give every band member their time to shine, including a standout drum solo towards the end of the set.
It was easy to imagine that she brings the same kind of carefree and heartfelt energy to every gig she performs, no matter the size.
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