Photos by Karp
Dressed in a long, white gown with pale eyes and black hair, Chelsea Wolfe drifted through an intimate performance at Music Hall of Williamsburg that could have easily sound-tracked the haunting of a lovelorn ghost. Backed by Ben Chisholm and Andrea Calderon on synth and violin, she played songs supporting her recent release Unknown Rooms: A Collection of Acoustic Songs. The album, a stark contrast to prior releases, showcases her older work and displays a simplicity and beauty that lend themselves to Wolfe’s ethereal vocals. Although she swore she had a cold, the set was devastating and vulnerable, and her voice didn’t falter. At one point, she brought out T.J. Cowgill from the opening act King Dude to add his menacing growl to a few songs. For the encore, Chelsea performed “The Way We Used To” solo with a looping pedal — the perfect ending to the night, as the crowd filtered their way out into the cold.