Ezra Furman Kicks Off Her “Goodbye Small Head Tour” With The Ophelias at Thalia Hall Chicago
By Colette Custin Bevard
Ms. Ezra Furman called, and Chicago answered on a rainy night in Pilsen. Furman’s Goodbye Small Head tour kick-off at Thalia Hall was a celebration of growth and rebirth, and was her first performance in North America in a couple of years.
“We’re fucked, it’s a relief to say,” Furman sang on “Submission” from the new album, a sentiment that rang truer than ever given the instability of current political climate. Dressed in black fishnets and a shiny black dress, Furman’s stage presence was commanding from the start, leading the audience on an emotional journey in songs like “I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend” with its jangling guitar and Furman’s Bowie-esque vocals. Violinist Susan Voelz and cellist Alison Chesley joined the five-piece band for several more new songs, introduced as the “Goodbye Small Head Orchestra” for one night only.
“Thanks for being in this world with us,” Furman offered at one point to rapturous applause from the audience, and the raucous encore saw two older tracks end the night on an upbeat note. I had hoped that Furman would play my favorite tune, “My Zero”, but I’ll just have to see another one of her shows in the future to get my chance at it.
Openers The Ophelias delivered a fun and energetic set of danceable indie pop to start things off, and had amazing hand-painted “curse” necklaces at their merch table. Here’s to hoping that the piece I bought is a good luck charm. Are there such things as good curses?
7/8/25, Thalia Hall, Chicago
