Review: Revenge Wife Explodes The Airliner

Music

Oct 4

☆ Joey Povinelli ☆

The Airliner’s stage is upstairs from a sit-down restaurant, lit by the spinning highlights of a disco ball over hardwood floors. Chris Wills, a Jersey/LA-based singer/songwriter, warms the crowd up with a rocker about cruising on the way to California complete with a shredding solo. He announces Revenge Wife is directing a video for his new single, “Tonight.” Revenge Wife, the solo project of former HOLYCHILD lead singer Elizabeth Nistico, is known for close collaboration with fellow artists and a magnetic vision that seems to attract other creatives. Nistico previewed tracks from her upcoming debut album and demonstrated the endearing qualities that make her a mainstay in the experimental pop scene.

Over two EPs, Nistico has developed her own distinct voice as an artist, pulling more from 80s synth pop than the controlled chaos of HOLYCHILD. Nistico draws from a wide pool of influences like Abba, Electric Light Orchestra, TV On The Radio, religion, and fine art. The star on both parts of Background Songs for Your Boring Life is Nistico’s candidly emotional lyrics and vocals. She sings with minimal production effects, creating a direct, unfiltered, connection to listeners. Nistico’s melodies are instantly catchy, burrowing into your head immediately. Her songs are of melodic longing.

Nistico is also intentional with the visual elements; her conceptual music videos are an experimental narrative when viewed in sequence. “Everything that I make is my choice, whether it’s the videos or the lyrics or the music or what we’re wearing, so I think together it must give people a pretty clear picture of who I am and what I’m into. I don’t consider whether things fit together, because I know if it comes from a pure place within me everything will be inherently connected,” said Nistico.

Nistico opens the show with a new song, “Autobiographical Chapter,” sporting her own merch t-shirt which she takes off to reveal an elaborate self–designed costume composed of layered tights, vintage lingerie, and multiple belts. “I love dressing as different characters. Right now I’m in LA and I love dressing up when I go out. Clothing is an extension of myself as an artist,” Nistico explained.

Accompanied by a drummer and bassist, Nistico smiles brightly as she showcases her catalog. She looks like she has the most fun when performing, a timeless Italian pop superstar hosting a high-octane dance party. “Lucifer’s GF” is a highlight with its varied structure and spooky bridge section that sounds like a Giallo movie soundtrack. “Manifest” has some of her best lyrics, responding to each cry for self-betterment with a defiant “fuck that.” “Dream I Had” has a soaring, big chorus that plays great to a crowd.

Her presence throughout is enhanced by four dancers who occasionally break out into routines choreographed by Nistico. They show off catlike moves over “Niente,” another unreleased song. The moves are carefree yet intentional. Nistico elaborates, “when I was thinking of the dance, the only thing I knew was the intro when we get together and then act like cats for a little. I wanted to use all female dancers for this show and I think there is something so feline about women. In the dance for Niente that I did on stage, we actually move through a few different stages. From girls to cats, then there’s a super masculine part where we’re hip thrusting like men. I also didn’t want the girls to be really sexual all the time. It’s a goal of mine to create a well-rounded human experience.”

The only Holychild cut, “Bathroom Bitch,” had the crowd, composed of new fans and those from the early HOLYCHILD days, going wild. “Earthquake” closed out the main setlist with the dancers partying onstage, the energy infectious. During the encore, Nistico performs “Death Wish,” from the ground while the audience surrounds her. She makes direct eye contact with the audience and for a second the spell of the performance is broken and you can see clearly, someone doing what they are born to do and meant to be a performer/pop star who is so genuine and reflects that in their lyrics and art.

“After a Revenge Wife show, I want people to feel like they can do anything they want!,” said Nistico, “I want people to feel like they are not alone! I want people to feel inspired to make their own art!”

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We couldn’t be more stoked to have Suriel Hess as our new headliner for our upcoming LA show 🤩 🫶 Not gonna lie, us & Notorious Noise kinda went OFF with this line up & you’re not gonna wanna miss it - ticket link in bio 🎫