Today, rising indie-rock artist meg elsier releases spittake dress rehearsal, a four-song live performance film that blends the electricity of a concert with the storytelling of theatre. Featuring live renditions of four songs from her recently released spittake deluxe album, each song unfolds as its own scene in this staged universe. It’s part rock show, part theatre, and part fever dream.
Instead of capturing a stripped-down, bare-bones gig, spittake dress rehearsal pushes the idea of “live” to its limits. The set is staged as an elaborate theatre rehearsal, complete with a director giving notes between songs. While meg and her band perform entirely live, every movement, lighting cue, and gesture is choreographed to blur the line between what’s rehearsed, scripted, and real.
Co-created with longtime collaborator Jacqueline Justice, the concept took shape during a string of chaotic FaceTime calls. Together, they set out to challenge the prove-you-can-play ethos of live music, leaning instead into the surreal: blocking, costumes, and a set design where fantasy and reality collide.
“Why can’t a rock show be theatre? Why can’t it be camp? Why can’t it live somewhere not based in reality, while still being raw?” says meg. “I’ve pretended to perform in my living room with a remote as a mic, and on stage, I feel like I’m back in that safe space where I can rage without nerves. That’s what I wanted to capture.”
spittake dress rehearsal arrives on the heels of spittake (deluxe), the expanded edition of meg’s acclaimed debut album. The 17-track project features unreleased demos, raw live recordings, and intimate B-sides, offering a deeper dive into the emotional and creative core of the original record.
One of indie rock’s most exciting new voices, meg elsier pairs sweet, airy vocals and lush melodies with grungy guitars and weighty production. Since making her debut in 2024, meg has earned praise from tastemakers like DIY Magazine, Ones To Watch, DORK, and CLASH for her unflinching storytelling and distinctive, genre-blurring sound.
Listen to spittake (deluxe) on all streaming platforms:
https://ffm.to/spittakedeluxe.com
Watch spittake dress rehearsal (live performance film):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlruW1SVbss
