Ethel Cain Enchants Audiences on "The Childish Behavior Tour"

An artist like Hayden Anhedonia is truly one of a kind. Better known by her alias, Ethel Cain, Anhedonia is taking the world by storm, beckoning devotees with her expansive, solemn reflections. Listeners are introduced to Cain on Anhedonia’s most recent release, “Preachers Daughter,” a character who arose as an “intersection between [her] experiences in the heavily religious American South and [her] dreams of the wild and free American West.”

Raised by a Southern Baptist deacon in Northern Florida, Anhedonia’s past is undoubtedly interwoven into Cain’s being. In a 2021 interview with Pitchfork, she admits, “everything I do through my art is a way to get my thumb on top of what’s happened to me in the past, because now I’m in control and I can’t be hurt by it again.”

This year, Anhedonia takes her haunting chords and mesmerizing croons on the road with “The Childish Behavior Tour.”

Her eerie Bible Belt imagery made its way to Paris on June 3, the first in a series of tour dates throughout Europe and the U.K. this June. Cain approached the stage that night with characteristic reverence. She looked like a ghost in a pitch-black prairie dress, her face shrouded in a thin veil to match.

"Dust Bowl" at Le Trianon in Paris, France

Unlike her appearance at Barcelona’s Primavera Sound three days prior, which saw the sea of thousands harmonizing like a church choir, fans could hear a pin drop during Cain’s opening performance of “Dust Bowl” in Paris.

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Ethel Cain at Primavera Sound in Barcelona, Spain

The heartbreaking hymns continued throughout the night, with the live debut of more unreleased tracks like “Punish” and “Amber Waves.” Fans looked on with wonder, standing in veneration as Cain’s entrancing call echoed through the room.

"Amber Waves" at Le Trianon in Paris, France

She returned to the stage for an encore later that night, barefoot in basketball shorts and an over-sized tee.

“It was either take that tight ass dress off or vomit all over you,” said Anhedonia. “I think I made the right decision!”

Cain covers "Bette Davis Eyes" in Paris, France

Starting with a charming cover of “Bette Davis Eyes,” Anhedonia sounded like Kim Carnes’ second coming, coyness and all, dishing out impressive vocals as she swayed with the song’s unforgettable melody. She closed the night with the cathartic fan favorite “American Teenager,” a synth-filled power ballad with a “Don’t Stop Believin’” guitar build-up that examines the expectations of adolescence in the American South.

"American Teenager" Music Video

If her show in Amsterdam is any signifier, fans attending the tour can likely anticipate a similar selection of songs throughout its run. Performing an identical setlist in both Amsterdam and Paris, expect to hear well-loved favorites like set regulars “Crush,” “A House in Nebraska,” “Thoroughfare” and more from her career defining album “Preacher’s Daughter.”

Despite these similarities, Cain finds a way to make every show a unique, unifying experience for her fans. After all, Anhedonia is known for her ability to cultivate community among her fan base, be it through one-on-one interactions during performances or her emblematic YouTube channel, with videos ranging from frog hunting excursions to hour-long walk throughs of her art book and “sharp object” collections.

Kicking off her U.S. dates at Bonnaroo, Cain will grace festivals across the country this summer, with stops at Lollapalooza, Hinterland, and Blossoms & Bones. She’ll continue “The Childish Behavior Tour” with some more shows across the States, including dates in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and more. Mother Cain will support her fellow sad-girl matriarch Mitski in Austin, TX this September, a powerhouse duo sure to provide some sort of emotional deliverance for those in attendance.

Heralding “The Childish Behavior Tour” with unbridled grace, Ethel Cain is a must-see, in all her Southern gothic glory.

The Childish Behavior Tour:

06/07 – Dublin, Ireland @ 3Olympia Theatre

06/08 – Porto, Portugal @ Primavera Sound

06/10 – London, England @ Roundhouse

06/15 – Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo

06/22 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Greek Theatre

06/27 – New York, NY @ SummerStage in Central Park

06/27-29 – Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest

08/02 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall

08/03 – Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza

08/04 – Saint Charles, IA @ Hinterland Music Festival

08/10 – Carnation, WA @ Thing Festival

08/13 - Portland, OR @ Pioneer Courthouse Square

08/16-18 – Stradbally, Ireland @ Electric Picnic

08/18 – London, England @ All Points East Festival

09/12 – Austin, TX @ Moody Center w/ Mitski

09/13-14 – Abiquiu, NM @ Blossoms & Bones Music Festival

09/28 – Columbia, MD @ All Things Go Festival

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Last updated: 10 Feb 2025, 00:43 UTC

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