Melanie Maclaren Details 'Bloodlust' Tour Coming to the Southwest This Spring

Nashville-based artist Melanie MacLaren will be hitting the road this spring supporting her critically acclaimed EP Bloodlust, with shows throughout the Southwest. 

"Melanie’s music has been described as “if an acoustic Phoebe Bridgers had Dylan’s poetic magic” (The Wild is Calling).  Her one of a kind stream of consciousness lyricism has been lauded as “haunting yet humorous” and possessing a “sentimental cynicism” that “oozes with Gen-Z relatability.” Sonically, Melanie is known for weaving together the past and present threads of folk music, with classic finger-style guitar resting on ambient beds while distorted trad instruments punctuate the compositions, she creates songs that “possess the timeless country spirit without sacrificing any sense of immediacy” (Various Small Flames). Produced by Max Helgemo (who produced her exuberant 2023 cover of Loudon Wainwright III’s The Swimming Song) this project draws deeply from 90’s alt-country influences and brings out Melanie’s inborn classic Americana sensibilities while staying true to her instinct for flipping conventions of genre and subject matter on their head. 

Bloodlust is Melanie’s third solo project, following her debut EP Kill My Time and collaborative folk EP of duets called Tadpole Emporium with songwriter Lorkin O’Reilly (DUG), both released in 2022. The two toured the project in the UK and Ireland with Alain McFadden of Ye Vagabonds, playing with artists such as Ciaran Lavery and Joshua Burnside. Following this tour Melanie ushered in 2023 with the release of her second solo EP Tourist, which featured songs on many editorial playlists, including the top tastemaker playlists such as Spotify’s Fresh Finds and  Fresh Folk Finds.  With the expansion of her sound, her audience grew, and her music garnered over 2.5 million streams across platforms. The success of Tourist led to her first two headlining US tours in the Northeast and Midwest at esteemed venues such as 3rd and Lindsley, The Basement, Mercury Lounge, The Sultan Room, The Middle East, and Raccoon Motel, to name a few, playing with other up and coming songwriters like Baerd, Paul Moody, Torri Weidinger, June Henry, and Quinn Devlin. 

Melanie has also spent time on the road supporting Jessica Lea Mayfield, Charli Adams, Caleb Caudle, and DUG, and at the top of 2024, Melanie was direct support for Charlie Starr(Blackberry Smoke) on his acoustic tour, playing to sold-out audiences around the U.S.

TOUR DATES

4/23   Hi-Tone, Memphis, TN

4/26   Wake The Dead, San Marcos, TX

4/28   Howlin’ Wolf Music Club, New Orleans, LA 

5/1  Twangville Presents @ The Post, Ft. Worth, TX **

5/2  Soundspace ATX, Austin, TX

5/3   Twangville Presents @ The Blue Door, Oklahoma City, OK  **

5/4  Twangville Showcase, Dallas, TX

5/6  MiniBar - Kansas City, MO

5/7 Replay Lounge - Lawrence, KS 

5/8 -Evangeline’s Bistro, St. Louis, MO

5/9 South Main Sounds  hosted by Memphis Blues Society, Memphis, TN **

** Co-Bill w/ Hannah Aldridge 

Photo credit: BLAIR BEAMER