WRITTEN BY KIMBERLY MURO
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Photo by @enterlabrynth.co
Weekend plans can look lots of different ways. Rushing out of work to meet friends for dinner, unwinding at home to decompress from a long week, or for a lucky 2,300 people: heading to the Wiltern to see Julia Jacklin.
Jacklin took the stage at the Wiltern last Thursday, October 22. I first had the pleasure of discovering Jacklin’s music when she opened for Mitski in 2024. Not much has changed between now and then; as an opener and main act, Jacklin possesses a gift for captivating her audience. Fans filed in and eagerly waited for the lights to dim in the theatre. Everyone was dressed casually and comfortably, something you don’t see often anymore for concerts.
The main focus of this tour, The Gem, is Jacklin’s newest album. 10 tracks wound up with hauntingly beautiful vocals, pointed storytelling, and cathartic instrumentation. These songs, neatly presented through their digital release, explode on stage. Looking around at the audience during the show, you could see just how much these songs meant to everyone.
People sang along and swayed their heads to the beat and the spell of their total captivation was broken only by the thunder of claps after each song.
Jacklin was especially charismatic as she took a moment to speak to the audience, being candid about the break she’s had from performing. She tried out a different setlist from her show the night before and thanked the audience for making her return feel so welcoming.
The Wiltern was a perfect venue to appreciate the full extent of a Julia Jacklin show. Just intimate enough- every seat in the theatre gave you a perfect view of the stage. Simple and understated, the stage consisted of Jacklin, her band and a huge gemstone at the center of them all.
One of the best parts of the show too was the opening act, Jordan Patterson. Patterson did a short set that no doubt left new listeners eager to add her to their playlists.
Patterson fully embodied the emotions of her songs on stage. She belted and filled the room with her voice at one point for so long, the audience couldn’t help but break into applause even though the song wasn’t over.
The audience was able to interact with Patterson during her set as well. She took a moment between songs to ask how the crowd was feeling and spoke to people in the pit about something that led to a joke about Elizabeth Holmes. The crowd absolutely loved Jordan Patterson and as a new listener I appreciated how absolutely well suited an act she was for this tour.
Julia Jacklin at the Wiltern was a night that felt, above everything, all about the music. Every song felt like the highlight of the night; it felt like there was an unspoken agreement between Julia Jacklin and her audience to be totally and utterly united by a shared love for music.
