Avant-Rockers Sloppy Jane Deliver a Must-See Performance
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - July 21: Sloppy Jane perform at Cannery Hall supporting Of Montreal. (Photo by Dylan Basden for Pretty Nifty)
Out on the road with experimentalists Of Montreal, Sloppy Jane manage to set themselves apart from the pack with one of the most unique, jaw-dropping musical performances Nashville has seen in years. The brainchild of frontwomen, multi-instrumentalists, and songwriter Haley Dahl, Sloppy Jane has been a fixture in the underground avant-garde scene for years, notching numerous rounds of critical praise with each passing release. Now nearly five years removed from their most recent album, the musical collective appear to be gearing up for a new project in the coming months.
Kicking off the night with “Overture,” the opening track from the outfit’s 2022 sophomore album, Madison, eyebrows have already been raised. From the jump, Dahl has already captured eyes. Dressed in a vibrant blue silk jacket, she manically directs her backing band as they slowly swell into a cacophony of sound. It is an eclectic mix of instrumentation, with the standard four-piece rock-n-roll band being complimented by violin, viola, cello, keys, synths, flute, and even a glockenspiel. Dahl also adds to this, throwing in violent stomps, shaking the stage and alerting the audience to her presence. The band would continue this energetic foray into avant-rock and chamber pop without much let up, largely thanks to the hefty fusion of punk in their sound.
It was on the tail end of the performance, after the crowd has fully bought in, that Sloppy Jane played the ace up their sleeve. For those unacquainted with the band, myself included, you are sure to recognize “The Claw,” a collaboration with Phoebe Bridgers from the soundtrack for I Saw The TV Glow. Bridgers herself is a former member of the collective, previously holding down the bass guitar circa 2014-2015. The ‘aha’ that swept over the crowd as they pieced the puzzle together was clear, an unexpected left hook from an act that had already landed every blow.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - July 21: Sloppy Jane perform at Cannery Hall supporting Of Montreal. (Photo by Dylan Basden for Pretty Nifty)
Dahl and company rounded out their opening set with “The Constable,” a dramatic piano-led ballad that showcased Dahl’s rapidly changing vocal inflections. She’s effortlessly dynamic, shifting from a rough, spoken word-adjacent singing into fierce, guttural yells. Throughout the night we see this dynamic, with no clear flow or cadence, Dahl is like a rushing river as she surges through each song with both grace and chaos. She’s equally as dynamic on stage, commanding the crowd with ease. Notably, I recall two young children on the front row absolutely mesmerized by Dahl’s performance, a rather intimate moment that seems like it’ll stick with the young fans. In its waning moments, “The Constable” divulged into a New Year’s Eve countdown leading into its final verse, an oddly surreal experience in July, yet a fitting conclusion to the tirade the audience had just witnessed.
Setlist
Overture
Party Anthem
Jesus and Your Living Room Floor
Judy’s Bedroom
Bark Like a God
In the Future It Was Me That Burned It Down
Cheapes
Morella
Where’s My Wife
Jaws of Life
Claw Machine
Wonderama
The Constable
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - July 21: Sloppy Jane perform at Cannery Hall supporting Of Montreal. (Photo by Dylan Basden for Pretty Nifty)
Sloppy Jane have just begun their run of dates supporting Of Montreal, a trek that’ll take the outfit across the West Coast, Southwest, and Southeast.
You can find all of Sloppy Jane’s upcoming tour dates here.
Jul 22 – St. Louis, MO – Delmar Hall*
Jul 23 – Wichita, KS – WAVE*
Jul 24- Denver, CO – Bluebird Theater*
Jul 25 – Salt Lake City, UT – Metro Music Hall*
Jul 26 – Boise, ID – Treefort Music Hall*
Jul 27 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom*
Jul 28 – Seattle, WA – Neumos*
Jul 29 – Eugene, WA – WOW Hall*
Jul 30 – Roseville, CA – Goldfield Trading Post*
Jul 31 – San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall* [SOLD OUT]
Aug 1 – Los Angeles, CA – The Regent Theater*
Aug 2 – Phoenix, AZ – Crescent Ballroom*
Aug 3 – Albuquerque, NM – Sister*
Aug 5 – Dallas, TX – Trees*
Aug 6 – Austin, TX – Mohawk*
Aug 7 – Baton Rouge, LA – Chelsea’s Live*
Aug 8 – Birmingham, AL – Saturn*
Aug 9 – Atlanta, GA – Purgatory
Aug 11 – Washington, DC – Songbyrd Music House
Sep 24-26 – Toronto, ON – Second Summer 2026
* supporting Of Montreal
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - July 21: Sloppy Jane perform at Cannery Hall supporting Of Montreal. (Photo by Dylan Basden for Pretty Nifty)
Sloppy Jane is truly a one-of-one act. Having no context of this act, their music, or their background, I was truly blown away by the experience they crafted in the live setting, all the more profound given they were in the opening slot. It is rare that I find myself wanting to write on support acts. Truthfully, I rarely have the time. but Sloppy Jane was without a doubt something special, I found myself immediate gravitating towards their story. I highly recommend catching them live, I believe they are a must-see for fans of the left-of-center and I certainly hope to see a headline set of theirs in the not-so distant future.