Concert Reviews

“Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You” takes center stage in a night of haunting beauty and raw emotion.

By Annie Jonas

September 13, 2025 | 11:46 AM

4 minutes to read

Ethel Cain’s show at Roadrunner in Boston on Friday night was nothing short of biblical — a soaring, cathartic journey into the heart of her rich, Gothic world. 

Ethel Cain is the artistic persona of singer-songwriter Hayden Anhedönia, who has crafted a haunting and intricately woven world that stretches across her discography. Through her albums, Anhedönia takes on the role of Cain, a fictional character whose tragic narrative unfolds like a Southern Gothic novel. 

“Preacher’s Daughter,” Anhedönia’s hit debut studio album, is a concept album that tells the dark, haunting tale of Cain’s fall into a perilous, dangerous world — a coming-of-age story steeped in doomed romance and desperation.

The album traces Ethel’s journey as she meets a mysterious, sinister man and becomes entwined in a violent underworld, ultimately meeting a grisly, cannibalistic demise. In contrast, “Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You” acts as a prequel, delving into Cain’s teenage years of first love, heartbreak, and the bittersweet pangs of unrequited affection.

The venue itself, a massive modern space with high ceilings, was a far cry from the Gothic cathedrals Cain often evokes in her music. But thanks to some very intentional stage design — Spanish moss hanging from tree branches overhead, a microphone stand shaped like a wooden cross — the audience was transported to a swampy, haunted landscape evocative of the fictional town of Shady Grove, Alabama, where “Willoughby Tucker” takes place.

Before Cain took the stage, Boston was primed for the show by 9Million, a Toronto-based shoegaze band whose set brought a refreshing burst of energy to the room.

A low, unsettling hum filled the room, and the crowd murmured in anticipation. And then, through the haze, a figure appeared: Ethel Cain. Not just the performer, but the embodiment of the character herself – bigger than life, both haunting and beautiful, commanding yet ethereal. This wasn’t just a concert; this was an offering.

Ethel Cain, I will always love you

Opening with “Willoughby’s Theme,” the mood was set immediately — sprawling, Gothic, and steeped in a sense of foreboding. Cain stood tall behind the cross, her silhouette dramatic against the foggy backdrop. There was an almost religious intensity to her presence, like a preacher preparing to guide us through a sermon.

As the first notes of “Janie” rang out, we were quickly transported into the complex, layered world of “Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You.” Cain’s voice, at once delicate and powerful, floated over the synth-heavy landscape. The crowd was hooked immediately — not just by the music, but by the emotional weight Ethel brought with her every word. Her performance was immersive, creating an emotional space where the lines between performer and audience blurred completely.

The setlist showcased the deepening of Ethel Cain’s narrative universe. The songs flowed seamlessly from one to the next, each one an unfolding chapter in the lives of Cain and her counterpart, Willoughby Tucker. Tracks like “Fuck Me Eyes” and “Nettles” were as fiery and raw as they were tender, capturing the vulnerability and passion of youth.

But it wasn’t all sweet sorrow. “Dust Bowl” brought the energy back up, while several instrumental, synthy tracks from her album “Perverts” showcased her ability to shift between deeply personal storytelling and atmospheric, almost otherworldly soundscapes.

In a surprising moment of tenderness, Jae Matthews of the Northampton-based electronic group Boy Harsher joined Ethel for “Vacillator,” the two singing face-to-face while seated on the floor — like mirror images of each other.

By the time the haunting, 15-minute epic  “Waco, Texas” closed the set, the energy in the room was palpable — heavy with the heartbreak that had defined the relationship between Ethel and Willoughby throughout the night. 

‘This has been the best show of tour so far’

In true Ethel Cain fashion, the encore was both cathartic and bittersweet. Before playing “A House In Nebraska” from “Preacher’s Daughter,” Cain thanked the crowd for “being incredible” and expressed her awe at their energy.

“This has been an amazing show. This has been the best show of tour so far,” she said to the crowd, which screamed in response.

The final track of the night, “American Teenager,” felt like a celebration — a triumph of youth, of survival, of something greater than the sorrow that had defined the show up to that point.

Ethel joined the crowd to sing the song, and the energy in the room shifted completely. People were no longer just observing; they were part of the performance. The barrier between artist and audience dissolved, and for a brief moment, we were all just souls, singing together in a shared moment of liberation.

When the lights finally came on and the crowd began to spill out into the Boston night, there was a sense that something sacred had transpired. We had just witnessed more than a concert. We had been taken on a journey through Ethel Cain’s world, and now we were left with the lingering question: What will happen next in the saga of Ethel and Willoughby?

Setlist:

• Willoughby’s Theme
• Janie
• Fuck Me Eyes
• Nettles
• Willoughby’s Interlude
• Dust Bowl
• Vacillator
• Onanist
• Misuse Oh
• A Knock on the Door
• Radio Towers
• Tempest
• Waco, Texas
• Encore
• House in Nebraska
• Crush
• American Teenager

Annie Jonas

Annie Jonas is a Community writer at Boston.com. She was previously a local editor at Patch and a freelancer at the Financial Times.

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