Sweet Sound Bites: Mallrat with Maggie Rogers @ The Fillmore 10/15/2018

From the “sleepy” town of Brisbane Australia, 20 year old Mallrat is waking people up to her take on electro-indie pop. She dropped her latest EP In The Sky earlier this year and started touring around Australia at the start of Summer back in June. Before that, the teenage lyricist had a slot at SXSW in Austin Texas this past Spring and is currently on her first U.S tour.

Mallrat @ The Fillmore 10/15/2018
photo by Marc Fong

Her first show here had Mallrat, AKA Lil M, opening for buzz-worthy, indie-pop princess Maggie Rogers at The Fillmore on October 15th. That's a pretty big deal, especially for a young new artist: playing on the same stage that's hosted some of music's greatest artists and on a bill with someone as acclaimed as Maggie Rogers is.

Mallrat @ The Fillmore 10/15/2018
photo by Marc Fong

The historic chandler illuminated room was scarcely filled when the music started at 8:00, Mallrat and her accompanying DJ behind her front and center in front of the headliner's back-lined instruments. But twenty and thirty something year old couples started filing in as Mallrat played on.

There's a certain innocence that Grace Shaw (Mallrat) carries that goes beyond her youthful age. Long, soft curls, a sweet smile, longing gaze and some-what prepubescent style accentuate her cherubic aesthetic. But it's the fleeting innocence of her songs that reels you in. There's an obscure maturity that bestows her and she acknowledges it in a way that I think most adults wish they had the heart to.

Mallrat @ The Fillmore 10/15/2018

photo by Marc Fong

She started making music when she was in High School with her first release dropping in 2014 but her music has the ability to resonate with people beyond those formative years. The uppity dance song with bass-heavy drops and shiny beats of "Inside Voices" from her earlier work sings a song extroverted, introverts can relate to while the string laden "Groceries" off her newest EP builds up with rhythmatic looped verses about hesitant, guarded baby steps toward a maybe love. That's some pretty grown-up stuff to be aware of at her age. Her music has the ability to move people in more ways than one with a fun and flirty sound laced with uplifting beats and a fast, almost rap like delivery.

Mallrat @ The Fillmore 10/15/2018

photo by Marc Fong

There wasn't too much action going on on-stage as Mallrat is still coming into her own but she did greet SF as the audience for the sold-out show thickened and she also hyped up Maggie Rogers. She played radio worthy "Texas"and the catchy track "UFO", both from In The Sky but the most fun she visibly had was when her friend/DJ joined her on for dance break during the Japanese chorus of "Oh Boy - Donatachi".

Mallrat @ The Fillmore 10/15/2018

photo by Marc Fong

I was happy to see that the floor of The Fillmore was packed before the end of Mallrat's set. Give it a couple years and I can see this girl in the ranks of Bishop Briggs and Billie Eilish who were once shy on-stage early on, too.

Maggie Rogers @ The Fillmore 10/15/2018

photo by Marc Fong

Like a firework in the night sky on the Fourth of July, Maggie Rogers ignited the room into an energetic frenzy. As I watched her work the stage amidst clamoring fans I couldn't help but admire her for giving Mallrat a great launching pad at not one but two shows in SF and her whole North American tour.

The little miss from down under undoubtedly got few more fans under her belt because of it.