A Night of Heart and Heartbreak: Eileen Allister’s Stop in Vienna

After the release of her first studio album "Honeymoon in a Motel“ last year and her most recent EP "Room Service“, the Swiss singer-songwriter Eileen Allister is now back on the road. After finishing the German leg, we at The Unseen had the chance to see her at the FLUCC in Vienna. In the club near the iconic Prater, Eileen managed to create an electric atmosphere with an even somewhat small crowd.

The show opened with the wonderful Kings Elliot. As a close friend of Eileen, she manages to set a perfect atmosphere for what's to come. Playing her own songs but also a cover of "Iris“ by The Goo Goo Dolls, she catches the crowd and is sure to leave with more fans than when she came in. Notable is also her newspaper at the merch stand, proclaiming, "Protect the dolls,“ and also a small giveaway she did, with which attendees could sign up by scanning a QR code. Make sure to check her out!

After a short wait, Eileen herself comes out swinging with "Head over Heels“ and continues with a solo of "King Bed“. It goes on rapidly with tracks like "Pity Party Princess“, a song about jealousy of someone you perceive as better looking. The setlist itself is relatively packed, running around one hour and twenty minutes with a lot of variety, switching between fast and loud songs to calmer, more introspective tracks seamlessly. There is not one dud to be found. Sprinkled are also interactions between her and the fans down in the crowd. These range from coming down into the crowd and singing alongside her fans, notably "Bet You Hate Me“ and "What A Girl Gotta Do". During the set, she also takes one fan up on stage, who gets to read the letter announcing the surprise song. The one we got was "Teenage Girl Diary“.

This creates an intimacy that really suits the artist, as a lot of songs within the concert tackle deep issues. The best example of this is "Pretty Girl Thriller“, which is sung towards the end and describes the singer's battle with society's image of women's bodies and eating disorders. Another example of this is "2 Heavens 2 Hearts“, written by Eileen in the fallout of the first time losing somebody. Other highlights include "Training Wheels“, about the fear of growing up and "Silly Crush“, about falling in love with someone toxic.

Of course, it’s not all gloom and doom, as we have a lot of love and emancipation songs. "Bit the Bullet“ is one such example, as it tackles coming out stronger out of a failed relationship. "Doomsday Kiss“ is another, a love song that catches the crowd perfectly. The crowd itself is arguably a draw of this show, as it is very involved, loud, and motivated to be there. This makes the whole experience that much more engaging, and it is strongly recommended to learn all the lyrics beforehand to be part of this experience.

At the end of the day, Eileen Allister's tour is not to be missed. It’s an evening full of fun but also heart. It’s both sincere and electric, and most importantly, never dull. There is not one boring moment during the entire show, as Allister manages to be a perfect singer and entertainer. There are still a few shows happening during this tour, as well as some festival appearances during the summer. So if you’re in the mood for some great indie-pop, this one isn’t something you should miss!