Southern Gothic meeting dream-pop meeting drone has landed in Auckland. Ethel Cain enchanted Auckland Town Hall on the two sexiest days of February 2026 – Friday the 13th and Valentine’s Day. As an attendee of night one, it feels good to say: “if you weren’t there you really missed out.”
Raised in the Bible Belt of Florida, Hayden Silas Anhedönia captivates stories of religion, abuse, and love behind the fictional character Ethel Cain. Rabbit holes were built to sink into the dark, generational story of Ethel Cain and her tour Willoughby Tucker Forever, named after her recent sophomore album, is the yearner’s quarters of this lore.
Behind a thick cloud of dry ice, Ethel Cain emerged with a four-piece supporting band. With high Victorian tiled ceilings and a stage framed by a vast organ, the theatre transformed Cain’s sound into a church service, her gospel being the raw, exhaustion of a teen-hood. Her mic stand: a cross-shaped power-pole, the final accessory of a carefully curated costume. Hidden behind a baseball cap, baggy jeans, and a t-shirt, the simplistic outfit choice encapsulated the layers of Cain’s discography.
The setlist was stacked with a seamless combination of new tracks and those that are long-time favourites. Surges of cheers flooded the space through performances of “American Teenager”, “Nettles”, and during the harmonica break of “Thoroughfare”. While utter intoxication broke out for live debuts of “Strangers”, “Gibson Girl”, and “Punish (Demo III)”. Cain describes herself as “not a vocalist”, which after witnessing her artistry, couldn’t be further from the truth.
This harrowing core under spotlight possessed souls as the crowd patriotically mirrored Cain’s raw emotional ballads. Lyrics from “Strangers” and “Crush” boomed across the venue while blood curdling screams were shared through “Ptolemaea”. The demonic demeanour halted at the end of each song, as she spoke to the audience with such grace and affection.
A community dressed in white Sunday best-esque dresses or camouflage shirts captured the multitudes of this character. Her essence infected those in attendance. Oh Ethel Cain, the woman you are.
