A Night of Firsts with Calva Louise
- Michelle Zigler
- Sep 19, 2025
- 2 min read
Last Wednesday was a night of firsts for me. It was my first time visiting St. Louis’s Off Broadway music venue, my first time seeing Calva Louise perform, and it was also my first time shooting for Zany Waves. That being said, I was excited, and as it turned out, the night ended up being one for the books.
I arrived early at Off Broadway, wanting to get a feel for the location and what to expect. It’s an intimate venue, smaller than others I’ve been to, but smaller in all the best ways. The stage was low to the floor, allowing the audience to be up close to the performers, and outside I discovered a side patio lit up by cafe lights.
It was just nearly 7:30PM as I made my way inside to see the show begin. The opener was the local St. Louis band, Portraits & Landscapes. I was unfamiliar with their music style, but the moment they began playing their first song, my interest was sparked. They’re everything someone who enjoys that Midwest post-emo sound can really appreciate.
After a lovely dose of some nostalgic lyrical angst, the mood took a heavier turn as Sicksense took to the stage. The nu metal Phoenix band gave St. Louisans a perfect blend of the screaming starkness of metal paired with a rhythmic hip hop beat. Sicksense’s lead vocalists Vicky Psarakis and Robby J. Fonts overtook the stage not only with their voices, but also their bodies; jumping and spinning energetically about the stage, and headbanging with a vigor I could never possibly know how to master.
These two openers were an excellent choice for Calva Louise. Consisting of three members, Calva Louis is a metal electronica rock band formed in London, England, despite each member coming from different continents. From what I experienced during the show, the formation of the band can be identified as nothing less than fate.
Calva Louise’s lead vocalist Jess Allanic made the evening unforgettable with her incredible vocal range. Originally from Venezuela, Allanic sang with passion and skill, having the capability to not only hit angelically high notes but to then swiftly drop to a low guttural scream. Throughout their performance, Jess would switch between playing the piano and the guitar by sliding her keyboard in and out of a special stand designed for her personally by her bandmate and bassist, Alizon Taho from New Zealand.
Their songs are haunting and magnetic, maneuvering between kinetic electronic melodies to rage fueled, explosive beats, accompanied with the thunderous booms from French drummer, Ben Parker. The only thing missing was the stage being surrounded by a wall of burning flames.
In mid-July, Calva Louise released their fourth full album, Edge of the Abyss, which includes an excellent mixture of genres, instruments, and languages – Allanic showcasing her Spanish roots with “Lo Que Vale” and “La Corriente.”
With the combination of their piercing vocals, explosive booming percussions, spacey piano keys, and effortless guitar riffs, Calva Louise brings an excellent and unique variety to the music community, and despite this being my first time seeing them perform, I can say with confidence that they now have a new die-hard fan.
