Em Beihold’s “Tales of a Failed Shapeshifter Tour” Finds Home With a Sold Out Crowd in Washington, D.C.
- Maggz
- 24 hours ago
- 4 min read
Written and Photo by Maggz
| The perfect way to kick off the summer concert season is singing lyrics to all your favorite songs with your friends while wearing unicorn headbands!
May 30, 2026 brought another sold out crowd to The Atlantis in Washington, D.C. and young fans bubbling with excitement in the dark interior of the 9:30 Club’s sister venue. The room was packed, bodies pressed up against the front barricade and a long line of fans and parents waiting to purchase merch. Fans were ready to see Em Beihold on her headlining tour with the same name as her most recent album, Tales of a Failed Shapeshifter.
Notably, Em partnered with PLUS1, $1 from every ticket to the sold out show went towards organizations protecting immigrant rights and supporting deportees, migrants, and refugees. This is great to see in a moment when fans want to spend their hard earned money on brands and artists who are trying to make the best of the darkness.
“I was so excited for this stop because I think this was the first stop to sell out!” opening act Janani K. Jha exclaimed, reaching out from the stage to greet the fans. The LA-based singer songwriter brought her unique style of music which is heavily influenced from her academic career that led her to Harvard College before deferring her admission to Harvard Law to pursue a career in music.
“I know there’s a lot of Em Beihold fans in here but the biggest one in the room is right here on stage talking to you!” Janani exclaimed, garnering a supportive cheer from the crowd.
Janani’s setlist was filled with beautiful, strong vocals, accompanied by a single guitarist on stage who drove the songs forward with perfect accompaniment. Janani’s music is filled with references from Greek mythology, which is unique in the landscape of singer-songwriters of today.
“Growing up in a strict religious household, it wasn’t until I had an experience with someone bringing me this fire (like Prometheus in Greek mythology) that I was brought this knowledge about my sexuality and myself,” was Janani’s introduction to her song “Prometheus on the 405.”
“Who in here has ever been in a codependent relationship?” Janani asked the crowd, which was answered by a very young fan near me saying “What’s a codependent relationship?” Their parent just patted their shoulder in reply. “Royal We” is a post-breakup anthem from The Rest of Her Laurels: Epilogue album she released in March which includes my favorite single from 2021 “Achilles Heel,” which she sadly did not play at the show. Janani’s career ahead of her is bright with such powerful music brought to life by her usage of symbolism and talent.
Soon it was time for Em Beihold to take the stage, the energy in the room growing by the second. Em took the stage and sat at her keyboard in a polka dotted top and long flowing skirt. Ever filled with whimsey, a stuffed rat plushie sat at the corner of the instrument, seemingly accompanying the bubbly tone of her opening song, “Scared of the Dark.”
Before starting “Strong Medicine” Em held up her prescription medication she takes, a bedazzled pill bottle, once again tapping into something her audience can relate to. Em has been very open about her battle with depression and anxiety, in other tracks such as “Exorcism” from the same album. She describes all the different approaches she has taken to trying to find balance in her life while also accepting medical support through therapy.
“Who here has had their heart broken by a man? Okay, not many! That’s good!” Em asked at one point, quickly clocking the youthful energy of the crowd. “All my friends say you’re just some loser guy” and “But you stay on my mind, think about you all the time, don’t know why I’m so torn” are lyrics in “Unicorn” that are perfectly juxtaposed that describe a universal experience.
In a highlight of the night, Em covered Regina Spektor’s “Us,” which seemed to confuse some of the younger audience members who assumed it must be an unreleased track. However, elder millennials in the crowd (including yours truly) scrambled for their phones to capture clips of a song not heard live in years. She finished the night with her 2022 breakout hit “Numb Little Bug” to loud cheers and scream-sung lyrics by the crowd.
If you missed out on “The Tales of a Failed Shapeshifter Tour” the first time around, don’t worry! Em Beihold (with special guest Janani K. Jha) are hitting the road again in October, kicking off “Part 2” in Mexico City, MX and continuing into the US through the end of November. Tickets are on sale now! You can also check out our review of her album of the same name on our site.
Em Beihold
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