Goth Babe Takes the District on an Adventure at The Anthem

See photos from the sold-out synthy surf rock show and relive the good vibes.

Griff Washburn doesn’t subscribe to the ordinary — it’s just not in his nature. Beginning his musical career as Goth Babe, he was living and writing songs out of his car, eventually upgrading to a tiny home solar-powered recording studio hybrid. Still, he lives a nomadic life, writing songs in RVs or more recently, aboard his temporary home: a sailboat named Lola afloat on the west coast of Mexico. His motto seems to be to stop taking life too seriously. On his latest, “The Lola Tour,” the same rules apply.

Before performing at The Anthem for his sold-out show on May 6, the synthy surf rock artist hosted a group run with his dog Sadie, free for anybody to join. Twenty fans showed up. His love of the outdoors and the environment isn’t just one facet of Goth Babe, it’s the foundation for his music and his live performance. His fans recognize that.

Prior to setting foot onstage, Goth Babe did not disappoint in his picks for opening acts. To begin, indie-folk artist Yoke Lore delivered melancholic, reflective ballads, including his most famous track, “Beige.”  As a second act, indie-rock group Flipturn turned up the heat with energetic live staging of their soul-stirring, groovy discography. Declaring their love for organic, beachy sounds when buying their show tickets, it came as no shock that most of the audience were fans of both opening acts, chanting along to each song.

Finally, with the stage lit by five signature stick figure trees, the mood was set for the third and final act. Entering the stage in his Blundstone boots and overalls, Goth Babe began his set with “Moments/Tides.” Bouncing around to the beat of his song and eventually picking up his guitar to play “Colours,” his energy radiated throughout the venue. Goth Babe’s love of adventure is present throughout all of his music, but especially in his live staging, where you can feel the adventurous spirit for yourself.

Before segueing to his most recent release “Alone in the Mountains,” the artist picked a volunteer to crowd-surf on a watermelon float around the venue for a couple songs — a Goth Babe tradition. Throughout the night, beach balls and a sailboat float, plus the watermelon, bounced around the crowd.

“I don’t know what it is, but you guys got it,” the artist said to the crowd.

Closing the night, Goth Babe played “Driving South” and “Weekend Friend” for an encore. Blasts of confetti shot up on each side of the stage as the artist danced and jumped wearing a T-rex hat. Free, easy and fun was the theme of the night — something Goth Babe’s music embodies.

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Jenna Schwartz