A range of people–some of whom were dressed head-to-toe in pacifiers, tutus and teardrops–all came together at Echostage Sept. 22, to experience  a range of twisted, story-like songs performed by Melanie Martinez.

The singer-songwriter, most commonly known for her unique, dark style, transformed the venue into what appeared to be a nightmarish fantasy.

Opening act Handsome Ghost kicked off the show with “Graduate,” tugging at the heartstrings of the audience. The performers were instantly welcomed by the audience when the upbeat tempo from the drums and synth came in.

Between songs, vocalist Tim Noyes mentioned meeting Martinez last year and being extremely grateful for the experience. He danced around the stage, his passion emanating into the audience.

“I liked the opening act,” early childhood education major at Anne Arundel Community College Kaitlin Lovill said. “It fits right into the music I like listening to, and he has a great stage presence.”

The crowd anxiously awaited Martinez’s appearance, chanting her name while the stage crew transformed the stage into what looked like a nursery. Her lyrics became more tangible due to the stage props, such as a baby mobile, a giant birthday cake and building blocks that spelled out “cry baby” in the center of the stage.

Moments later, Martinez strutted across the stage and performed her most recent album’s title track, “Cry Baby.” Throughout the entire concert, the crowd sang along word-for-word as they swayed their arms to the beat.

The iconic wolf from the “Tag You’re It/Milk and Cookies” double feature music video creepily entered the pit and stroked the hands of fans on his way to the stage to join Martinez. The wolf’s presence added to the overall experience and portrayal of her music, making fans feel as if they were actually a part of the story.

Martinez ended the night with an encore performance of “Cake” before wishing her audience a safe and great night.

At the end of the show, The Writer’s Bloc spoke with Noyes about his experiences on tour with Martinez and how they differ from other tours.

“It’s been amazing,” Noyes said. “This was our third show, and she is a super talent. She’s been really great to us. I think that we’re respectful of her, and I’m really looking forward to the rest of the shows. It’s gonna be a blast.”

Noyes commented that Martinez’s fans have been “significantly more enthusiastic” than what the band is used to when performing as an opening act.

“They’re very very supportive and excited, and that feels great. We feel very welcomed,” Noyes said. “They are usually much younger than our fans, but that’s okay, too; we don’t discriminate–music lovers are music lovers.”

Featured Photo Credit: Melanie Martinez during an exhilarating performance at Echostage. (Cassie Osvatics/Bloc Reporter)

Taylor Markey is a freshman journalism major and can be reached at tmarkey@terpmail.umd.edu.