Porridge Radio Takes Flight at Thalia Hall

^{Article by Ciara Rose Belfiore}

Porridge Radio’s night at Thalia Hall began with a lineup change. North Carolina folk band Sluice has been touring with Porridge Radio and was scheduled to open for their night in Chicago. Unfortunately, their lead singer, Justin Morris was unable to perform because of health issues. Instead, their violinist Libby Rodenbough performed a solo set. In addition to being a member of Sluice and Mipso, she’s also released several solo albums. The most recent being her 2023 release Between the Blades. Rodenbough is a talented multi-instrumentalist who alternated between guitar and violin throughout her set. As well as performing songs from her solo work she also brought on Sluice bassist Oliver Child-Lanning for a heartfelt traditional folk duet. They finished their set joined by drummer Avery Sullivan, performing a more ambient track filled with guitar, and drums that had the crowd entranced. Though not the original set Sluice had planned, Libby Rodenbough and her bandmates showcased their talents in an amazing stripped-down solo set. 

Porridge Radio is a British indie rock band made up of vocalist Dana Margolin, Georgie Stott on keyboard, bassist Dan Hutchins, and drummer Sam Yardley. Georgie was unable to tour with the band because of personal matters, so keyboardist Libby filled in. Porridge Radio has announced that their The Machine Starts To Sing EP set to be released on February 21st will be their final, making this their last tour. They opened the show with “Sick of the Blues” from their 2024 album Clouds In The Sky They Will Always Be There For Me. They’re masters of emotive, raw rock songs. Margolin, in particular, is a powerhouse, delivering her songs with an impressive emotional intensity. In addition to fan favorites like, “God of Everything Else”, they also played a single titled “Don’t Want To Dance” from their upcoming EP. After finishing their main set, the band returned to the stage for 4 encore songs. Several fans commented on the band's breakup, but Porridge Radio’s advice? “Don’t be sad”. Though it may be a bittersweet moment for the band and their fans, the concert felt less like an end and more like a beginning. The band has an impressive list of accomplishments including critically acclaimed albums, and awards nominations. Their music will continue to connect with and inspire fans of the present and future. The end of the show felt oddly symbolic, the band members each carefully folded their setlists into paper airplanes and then…let them fly.