Madison Cunningham @ Stage AE (6/28/22)
"Everyone in line is so beautiful," I overheard someone say while standing in line at Stage AE on Tuesday evening. The crowd, ranging from late teens to early twenty-somethings and even a few "elder" millennials and some gen x-ers thrown in the mix, was dressed for summer comfort which completely matched the vibe of headliner Mt. Joy. While about 50-75 people were outside on the patio enjoying a beautiful summer evening, it felt like most of Pittsburgh showed up and stayed inside to give a well-deserved booming applause to the sultry, folk-rock sounds of Madison Cunningham. The two-time Grammy nominated singer/songwriter/guitarist opened for Mt. Joy last night, performing songs such as "Beauty Into Cliches," "Trouble Found Me," and "Dry as Sand," as well as her most recent singles, "Hospital" and "Anywhere." It's no surprise why Harry Styles' team chose Cunningham to open for him last year at Madison Square Garden - the energy she pushes through her vocals and her songwriting touches on the very human experiences that connect us to one another. Not to mention her stage presence - regardless of being a solo artist, she was connected with her band the entirety of her set and vice versa; they were completely in their element as much as she was and it was exactly my cup of tea. Upon completing her run on the Orange Blood Tour, you can catch Madison Cunningham and her band on tour this fall promoting her upcoming album 'Revealer,' to be released on September 9, 2022 courtesy of Verve Label Group.”
Words and photos by: Mollie Crowe