Chvrches lead singer Lauren Mayberry joked about “short person problems” as she lowered a microphone to her mouth to sing a fragile version of “I Need My Girl” with The National‘s Matt Berninger on Sunday, October 18, at the Treasure Island Music Festival in San Francisco. The Scottish singer-songwriter took the stage with her band at the festival earlier in the evening, but returned to join The National for a duet halfway through that band’s 16-song set. The rolling fog that began during Chvrches’ earlier set intensified as the evening wore on and lent an otherworldly aura to the two singers’ joint performance of the tune written by Berninger and Aaron Dessner, backed by The National. Each haunting note sounded particularly delicate and plaintive on this wind-swept autumn evening.

Mayberry wore a dress while braving the elements during her band’s set. Though audience members packed on parkas, she demurred, saying that she couldn’t perform while wearing a big coat. And, true to form, she kept the frock on throughout the evening, appearing in it on stage with The National.

Chvrches Setlist:
“Never Ending Circles”
“We Sink”
“Keep You On My Side”
“Make Them Gold”
“Gun”
“Bury It”
“Under The Tide”
“Recover”
“Clearest Blue”
“Leave a Trace”
“The Mother We Share”

By Elizabeth Varnell

Pictured: Lauren Mayberry of Chvrches at the Treasure Island Music Festival.
Photo by Jason Fernschuss