Mitski and Sharon Van Etten proved how alive and well rock is by performing live at the Hollywood Bowl

Times of discover News: The last few years have been quite the ups and downs for Mitski — going from being a well-respected, critically acclaimed and relatively commercially successful indie artist to topping Billboard's TikTok chart with "My Love's All Mine," along with other songs that translate well across social-media platforms.

This creates a strange paradox — a pioneering artist attracting an audience accustomed to Taylor Swift or Sabrina Carpenter concert labels. Mitski just finished her most recent tour supporting The Land Is Inhospitable and So We Are (including "My Love Is All Mine") at the Hollywood Bowl.

And while some of the complaints she and others made about her new fans proved true during the set, they didn't phase the average concert-goer at the famed Hollywood venue. Yes, the demographic was much younger than the average Bowl show, there were some shout-outs to the lyrics of her most popular songs, and unfortunately, there were a few phones out filming the entire set. But for the most part, it was no different than any other show at the amphitheater.

Before Mitski took the stage, her opening partner Sharon Van Etten was unimpressive. In one of the best sets of the season (which is now technically fall, not summer), she played a terrific set of songs that showed why she's one of the most respected artists in the independent music scene.

Any ticket holder who decided to skip the opener lost out on arguably the best set of the night. It's hard to compare Mitski and Sharon Van Etten — and unfair to pit them against each other — but the performance Van Etten gave could easily have been a headlining act at the Bowl.

While fans have long considered her a modern rock revivalist, a modern-day Bruce Springsteen, her new material extends far beyond that horny shoe. There's plenty of synth and, for the most part, Van Etten plays without a guitar, taking on the traditional role of frontwoman. He started with a short vat, playing a looped sample with different vocals repeating a chorus.

Suddenly the music stops and the band switches to "Jupiter 4", a song from the incredible 2019 album Remind Me Tomorrow that is heavily guitar-influenced, giving it a pulsating, spooky atmosphere. Later, he performed a new song called "Afterlife", which he also performed at a show in London. It is also heavy on the synths and is extremely melodic, retaining the melancholy atmosphere of his previous material.

After the song, he prepares for the next song, during which a fan yelled "I love you Sharon!" - he kneels down and gestures. Next came the emotional climax of Van Etten's set, "Comeback Kid". Unlike the classic Remind Me Tomorrow, this cut has a bit more of a guitar feel as well as its classic rock rhythm. This was easily one of the highlights of the night, with the audience singing along to the national anthem.

Then there was the first song with Van Etten on guitar. Turns out there's another new song, called "Idiot Box," which has a very forward guitar sound that fits in well with some of the older music. There was plenty of time to address the audience after the song, saying that as a Jersey girl her heart used to go crazy when she played at the famous Hollywood Bowl. Van Etten ended her set with the dirty "Headspace," the Springsteen-esque "Every Time the Sun Comes Up," and one of her biggest hits, the melancholy and transformative "Seventeen."

As Mitski prepared to take the stage, the Bowl suddenly seemed full of crowds, which was a shame considering she paid so much money to miss half the show. But that's between her and her bank account. But young, naive and dedicated fans are part of the sudden (but not immediate) fame of an artist like Mitski. Many fans came wearing Mitski shirts, waited all the way to Sharon Van Etten's set to buy Mitski vinyl records and, yes, even took several movies of the set with their phones.

But it makes no sense to blame an artist on her fans. And at the end of the day, it's great for young music lovers to connect with someone as artistic and boundary-pushing as Mitski. Kids are choosing their favorite artists.

Mitski plays with a strong band, including a guitarist, bassist, drummer, percussionist, pedal steel/banjo/accordionist and synthesizer. With a backing band of six members, they can create sounds that range from straight Americana to futuristic synth pop.

She opened with "Everyone," which, like many of the songs she performed tonight, had strong Americana vibes. Calling it country would be a stretch, but the sound of the steel guitar pedals is strong. Next up is "Buffalo Replaced," a hit song from the 2023 album The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We. "Working for the Knife" is one of the most recognizable songs