Em Beihold Brings Her Tales of a Failed Shapeshifter Tour to Boston for a Whimsical and Vibrant Night

The summer sun beats down on the line of people wrapping around the block in Boston, Massachusetts. Fans of all ages chat excitedly with each other outside the red walls of Brighton Music Hall, not even bothered by the heat. The sign above the venue’s entrance highlighted the headliner for the sold-out show: Em Beihold.

Since releasing her debut EP, Infrared, in 2017, Em Beihold has been creating music that’s both fun to dance to and has raw, relatable lyrics. In 2022, she released her hit song, Numb Little Bug, which took over social media and radio stations. Beihold’s EP from that year, Egg in the Backseat, was an instant hit with fans. The last time she headlined a major tour was in 2024 on her Maybe Life Is Good Tour, which was also the last time she performed in Boston before 26 March 2026.

Brighton Music Hall is a small, intimate venue and perfect for artists who connect with their fans. As the 500 fans enter the room, they’re met with the sign of the stage ready with instruments. A disco ball on the ceiling reflects light onto the walls. While some fans rush toward the barricade (which wraps around the front and side of the stage), others head to the merchandise booth to buy a shirt or poster. Some fans had VIP tickets, so they had already entered the venue earlier and were ready at the barricade for the show to start. A few of them had even been at Em Beihold’s last Boston show in 2024.

When the preshow playlist goes silent, the crowd cheers in anticipation for the concert to officially begin. The opener for the night, Janani K. Jha, steps onto stage, ready to kick off the night with her bright personality and wide range of music. She starts her set with Hellbent, enchanting the crowd with her vocals. Janani K. Jha describes her next song, Weird Hills, as similar to Brutus by Em Beihold (which captures the attention of the crowd). The fans absorb every lyric of Echo, a song that Beihold helped to write with her.

Janani K. Jha’s music feels honest and relatable to the crowd. From songs about being bullied for being “weird” to Greek mythology, everyone is able to see their own experiences reflected. The crowd is able to shift their energy to match each tune. Janani K. Jha’s last song of the night is Gladiators, an empowering anthem that creates an atmosphere of strength in the room. As Janani K. Jha heads off stage, fans continue to applaud her with their eyes bright and enlightened.

The short break between the opening and headlining set is busy with fans making friends, buying more merch, and preparing to dance the night away. When the room is plunged into darkness, yelps of excitement can be heard from the fans. Em Beihold struts onto the stage and is met with the glowing smiles of her fans. She starts with Scared of the Dark, punctuating every note that she sings and plays on her red keyboard. After Beihold also sings Brutus at her keyboard, she takes her mic and stands to perform Shiny New Things. Both she and the crowd dance to the song and sway to the beat, matching each other’s energy perfectly.

The first half of Beihold’s set focuses on her newer songs from her debut album, Tales of a Failed Shapeshifter. She does tease Numb Little Bug early on, but jokes about it being too early to sing it. Her fans don’t mind, though. Many of them dressed up to match the aesthetic of Em Beihold’s album, so they were excited to hear new songs like Strong Medicine and Unicorn. Beihold also surprised the crowd by singing an unreleased song (Who Died and Made You God?) and a cover (Us by Regina Spektor, which was the first song cover that Beihold had posted on YouTube).

Em Beihold told the crowd about how she first performed at Brighton Music Hall in 2022 as an opener for Anson Seabra, so it was truly a full-circle moment to be back as a headliner. She also said that this crowd was “rabid in a good way,” with the fans cheering exceptionally loudly in response. During Goo, Beihold even closed the gap between herself and the crowd by doing a barricade walk, which left everyone at the barricade starry eyed with shock and disbelief.

Then, it was time for a surprise song. The singer explained that she would perform whichever song received the loudest response from the crowd. Both options were fan favourites: City of Angels and Groundhog Day. So, when the crowd was loud for both songs and Beihold announced it as a tie, she decided that Boston was special enough to hear both songs. The crowd’s energy was off the charts for both songs.

The mood slowed down for the next tune, Until I Found You (Beihold’s song with Stephen Sanchez), with fans creating a sea of phone flashlights in the pit. This atmosphere continued for the next song, Won’t Let Go, which is an emotional song written for Beihold’s grandmother. Tears glistened in the eyes of fans feeling every emotion bleeding from Em Beihold’s vocals.

When Beihold announced that the next song would be her last, the crowd knew that they had to give all of their energy for it. Everyone waved their arms and jumped around during Hot Goblin. Still, when Beihold left the stage, it felt like that moment when you almost completed a puzzle and are missing a single piece.

Beihold’s mic wasn’t turned off yet, so giggles could be heard when she was discussing where to eat in Boston with her band. From lobster rolls to Dunkin Donuts, it seemed like they had already moved on from the show. There was one song they mentioned hadn’t been sung yet, so of course they came back for an encore to truly wrap up the night. Every fan in the audience knew Numb Little Bug, and they sang along to every lyric like they personally wrote the lyrics in their journals. Some fans were young, just focusing on the upbeat melody. Others in the crowd were older and relating to the deeper lyrics about anxiety and numbness. Either way, everyone was able to connect with the song, making it the perfect closing track for the night.

As Em Beihold said goodbye to the crowd, one thing was clear: the crowd had now become a community. New friends exchanged social media accounts and children hugged their parents (and even grandparents). The streets of Boston went from quiet to bustling with life within minutes as fans poured out of the venue. While every person entered the venue with different life experiences, they all left with one shared memory to last forever.

The Tales of a Failed Shapeshifter Tour will continue through North America this summer, before ending in California in June. Whether you only know her hit songs or are a fan of her entire discography, you won’t want to miss out on seeing Em Beihold at one of her shows.