Rock duo Deap Vally recently bid farewell to DC while on their final hurrah tour at Black Cat. Love was in the audience, not only because it was Valentine’s Day and largely a crowd of couples, but also because it was clear dedicated fans would miss the group that announced their breakup in September 2023.
Vocalist Lindsey Troy and primal drummer Julie Edwards have made music together for over a decade, including a rerecording on their own Deap Vally Record label after not receiving proper compensation following its original release. They released the revamped version of their debut, Sistrionix, now known as Sistrionix 2.0 in 2024. At Black Cat on Feb. 14, their set took the audience through the recent release as well as previous tracks and even a seven-song encore.
Troy and Edwards entered the stage in robes labeled Deap and Vally on their backs, hugging and standing side by side before going to their own spots on stage. There was something poetic about their final tour, beginning with that entrance, followed by kicking off the night with their song, “End of The World.” Whether you were a new fan or a fan for a decade, it was clearly a bittersweet moment for the clearly captivated crowd.
Watch the official music video for “End of the World” by Deap Vally on YouTube:
Before Deap Vally took the stage, Sloppy Jane, led by Haley Dahl, opened with a theatrical and captivating set, exciting everyone, especially a small group of young fans excited to interact with Haley and knew all the words to the set. The world of Sloppy Jane is one-of-a-kind, glittery, and loads of fun. Dahl, who taught herself how to conduct, and both plays guitar, is on lead vocals, and conducts, is the textbook example of a successful DIY scene act. Sloppy Jane is the perfect balance of performance art and pop-rock that Dahl has been developing since she was a teenager with rotating band members on everything from keys to cello. It is also one of the projects where indle singer/songwriter Phoebe Bridgers got her start while in high school with Dahl.
In just under an hour Dahl danced through the audience, made a young fan’s year by giving her a blue rose (who shrieked, starstruck, “it’s fake, so I can keep it forever!”) matching with Dahl’s outfit and lighting, and leading a sing along during her hit, “Where’s My Wife.” Sloppy Jane capped off the night by leading a New Year’s Eve countdown (in February) as she delivers at the end of all her sets no matter the time of year because, as she says, it’s never too late to start over!
Stream “Where’s My Wife” by Sloppy Jane on YouTube:
Though the intimate set was goodbye to the stage, it is abundantly clear Deap Vally’s discography will live on as Troy and Edwards embark on their next chapters, including motherhood. Black Cat was the ideal pick for a Farewell Tour, giving Troy and Edwards the intimate experience of saying goodbye to fans and sharing final moments on stage, reminding us all good things come to an end.
Here are some photos of Deap Vally performing at Black Cat on Feb. 14, 2024. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Sami Pye.
Here are some photos of Sloppy Jane performing at Black Cat on Feb. 14, 2024. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Sami Pye.
