Gatlin Enchants Chicago Crowd at I Sleep Fine Now Tour
Indie songstress Gatlin performs her first ever sold-out headlining show at Chicago’s Schubas Tavern venue on Saturday, Oct. 21. The songstress leads fans throughout her mourning process and the stages of grief as part of her I Sleep Fine Now tour, following her newly acclaimed record I Sleep Fine Now. Though she touches on heavy ballads and emotionally-driven experiences through her sharp lyricism, Gatlin wastes no time casting a spell on her audience and showcasing her true musical prowess and upbeat confidence that undeniably lights up the room.
Staying true to finding inspiration in celestial imagery, occult themes and the power of the moon, Gatlin basks in the darker energy associated with relationships and grief throughout her acoustic-dominated set.
Celestial iconography and crescent moon props decorate the stage that mirror the spiritual themes Gatlin sings about throughout I Sleep Fine Now. With loud cheers erupting from the crowd, Gatlin dances her way onto the stage as dazzling purple and blue lights shine down on her. She is adorned in tinsel and glitter while wearing a silver, art-deco-inspired fringe cloak that lies on top of her black dress that resembles a starry night sky.
Gatlin makes her presence known and deeply personal throughout her 16-song setlist that features her older songs from her To Remind Me of Home EP (2020) and Sugarcoated EP (2021), as well as performing I Sleep Fine Now in its entirety. The tracks spiral through the process of heartbreak in real-time, oscillating between confidence and doubt, spite and reverence. The setlist ends with Gatlin's realization that after moving through the grief, she finds she can, indeed, sleep fine now.
Opening with “When You’re Breaking My Heart,” Gaitlin’s upbeat performance has the entire crowd dancing and singing along to the chorus, “I fell for the version of you I couldn’t have.” She questions if it’s really love if it doesn’t tear her apart.
Following “When You’re Breaking My Heart,” Gaitlin tells the crowd it’s her first ever sold-out show and for them to dance and cry and be in the moment with her. The energy between Gatlin and her fans was clear as day, and personally one of the most intimate ones I have ever experienced attending a concert. Her ability to connect emotionally with the crowd is truly as magical as her songs and storytelling. Through her charismatic stage presence and heartfelt melodies, Gaitlin has a natural talent for engaging with her fans on a deeper level than what meets the eye.
“Really Funny” is the first acoustic set of the night as she explains that when situations in her life get sad, she likes to crack jokes. One of the highlights of the performance was Gatlin singing “so you had to go and get tacky and move to Florida,” accompanied by a loud response from the crowd, “who the fuck moves to Florida?”
Shifting gears to I Sleep Fine Now, Gatlin’s lyricism is both introspective and scathing. I Sleep Fine Now is a collection of songs that highlights the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. After years of emotional processing and unlearning unhealthy coping mechanisms after the end of a past relationship, Gatlin's latest project is a unique clash of anguish and elegance – a tour de force of powerful vocals, glittering production and stunningly personal lyrics.
Opening with twinkling synths and a gentle piano, “Paris” quickly surges with a resentful energy that is laden with all the emotions of loving someone who is in love with someone else. Gatlin sings “Cause you're still in love with a girl, other side of the world, and pretending my love is hers.” Amidst head-bopping snare, richly layered harmonies, and warm guitar, Gatlin admits the inevitable, sorrow-struck conclusion: “I wouldn't have to care if you were in Paris.”
Gatlin jumps into the crowd during “Paris” and breaks out into a dance and encourages the crowd to dance with her. The energy picks up again as she has the entire room moving. Throughout her set, especially during “Standstill” and “Lonely Life,” Gatlin would crouch down and become eye level with her fans, creating an even more intimate atmosphere. Soothing ballad “Lonely Life” explores the acceptance of solitude as Gatlin sings “it’s all good, wouldn’t fall if I could.”
“How Do You Sleep At Night” is a heartfelt ballad to its core with emotionally driven harmonies that echoed throughout the venue. Gaitlin opens the song by saying it’s rewarding for her to feel all the emotions because it’s like a superpower.
During the acoustic set of “Grown,” Gatlin brings up her opener Bel – an indie-folk musician. While looking into each other’s eyes, the duo share an undeniable chemistry, it’s as if a musical alchemy is at work. Their connection transcends mere performance and becomes a synergistic force that soothes the audience. This chemistry is a result of a blend of a variety of musical backgrounds which makes their on-stage partnership truly special.
Shifting to something more upbeat, Gatlin covers the iconic “A Thousand Miles” song by Vanessa Carlton that had everyone in the audience grabbing their partner and dancing and singing along.
“Masterclass” carries a sultry melody that is electrifying. Gatlin tells a story about being brushed aside by a man too many times so she would rather go to bed alone. She wishes that all her old lovers would think of her on their dying day “What must it take? / who will be the first to break? / he knows I’m going down, so he’s just counting up all my mistakes,” she sings.
Ending with fan favorite “What If I Love You,” is a mix of alternative and indie-pop that offers a glimpse into Gatlin’s personal life where she felt like she found her once-in-a-lifetime love. The songstress’ voice quivered with raw emotion as she poured her heart out painting a poignant picture of yearning for love in every soul-stirring note, “they say it’s once in a lifetime / you only get one, so I guess that I’m done for life / you’re doing just fine / I knew that you would / I bet she looks good tonight.”
Gatlin combines instinctual humanity with daring vulnerability to craft musical moments of meaning and melody. Consistent through her range, Gatlin’s music brims with confessional lyricism and raw storytelling throughout I Sleep Fine Now. Her songs blend a vast internal world of feelings and thoughts with a rich external world of people and places – bringing listeners to the girl who stands at the intersection, Gatlin.