Lizzie No delivers a set full of surprises on the Marina stage

Lizzie No is no stranger to the XPN stage. From her Free at Noon set in March to her stellar performance at this year’s NON-COMM, No’s stage prescence is equal parts humorous and sincere, delivering a shining performance through and through. The last piece on her XPN bucketlist? Playing XPoNential Festival in her home state of New Jersey.

Throughout her set, No alternated between playing her harp and acoustic guitar, walking the line between folk, country, and rockin’ contemporary music.

“Mourning Dove Waltz” kicked off her set on a gentle note, but her songs quickly increased as she went on to play songs almost exclusively from her most recent album, Halfsies. The third release in her catalog, it captures day-to-day emotions and struggles, providing an intimate and moving look at the human experience. Despite heartbreaking vocals and arrangements, it’s a hopeful record, displaying the wonderful range of emotions that make us human.

Lizzie No | photo by Megan Matuzak for WXPN

“The whole record is about getting free from the inside out, and my perspective on that as a Black woman in the US is that the best thing we can do is donate to an abortion fund,” shared No during her set, never one to shy away from issues close to her heart. About halfway through, she gave her rhythm section a break, slowing down the pace with “Have Mercy,” a hymn dedicated to families in Palestine. It was a moving ballad, and No’s emotive vocals had the crowd spellbound.

Olivia Ellen Lloyd came out to join her for “The Heartbreak Store” and “Annie Oakley,” two of the twangier songs from Halfsies. “It’s a country song,” said No about “The Heartbreak Store,” “There’s no two ways about it, so you know what that means… tap your toes and move your ass!” While the crowd took certain precautions at No’s urging (they were settled on a hill after all), shoulders were shimmying and feet were tap-tap-tapping to the beat.

No had an extra surprise for the XPN fest crowd. She played a new song based on a Western called Silverado. As you would expect, the song had country elements, although it built up into a rousing, guitar heavy finale.

“This tune goes out to my haters, who are having a terrible year” shared No before her last song, flashing a smile. Much like she does with her music, No managed to balance the serious moments in her set with sweetness and humor, charming the crowd and leaving them hungry for more.