SASAMI – Blood on the Silver Screen Live at Rough Trade, Liverpool

SASAMI is an innovative Los Angeles-based artist known for her genre-defying sound and fearless reinvention. A restless spirit, her evolving artistry has traversed indie rock, industrial metal, and now, a pop-infused, cinematic vision. With three albums—SASAMI, Squeeze, and Blood on the Silver Screen—she has consistently pushed musical boundaries, carving out a unique niche in contemporary music.

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Tonight at Rough Trade Liverpool, SASAMI shifts expectations once again. While Blood on the Silver Screen is pop-heavy with grand arrangements, tonight’s stripped-back performance offers a raw, intimate take on the material. “These are the saddest versions of these songs,” she quips early on, stripping away the glossy production to reveal something more fragile at their core. Her songwriting takes centre stage, with her voice and poignant lyrics exposed in their purest form. The absence of full-band bombast doesn’t lessen the impact; if anything, it sharpens the focus on SASAMI’s craft as a songwriter. The melodies remain haunting, the lyrics cut just as deep, and in this setting, the emotional weight of Blood on the Silver Screen becomes even more palpable. Stripped of their studio grandeur, they reveal a different kind of power: intimate, immediate, and deeply human.

Opening with In Love With a Memory, SASAMI sets the tone for the night and the album. The song’s emotional push-and-pull is laid bare, its delicate uncertainty lingering in the air. On record, Clairo’s ethereal harmonies blur the lines between two perspectives, but live, SASAMI carries that weight alone, her voice weaving between longing and resolve. It’s a fitting introduction to a set heavy with new material, though SASAMI still includes a few songs from “the sad times,” reminding the audience of her introspective past.

Between songs, she reflects on the shift in her sound. “My first record was sad songs, then violent songs, so I wanted to make happy songs and love songs because I believe in love,” she explains. A voice from the crowd shouts, “All you need is love!”—a nod to the city’s most famous export. She laughs, taking a moment to acknowledge the Beatles reference. “My dad’s a big fan,” she adds, clearly enjoying the moment.

As if to bridge the past and present, SASAMI takes a detour to cover a song by, as she puts it, “the ultimate sad boy,” launching into a heartfelt rendition of Neil Young’s Harvest Moon. The choice feels telling—beneath the pop-lavish production of Blood on the Silver Screen, her latest songs remain, at their core, deeply melancholic. They may be dressed in bright, layered arrangements, but the raw emotion lingers beneath the surface. It’s a compelling contrast and a reminder that, for all her sonic reinvention, SASAMI’s songwriting remains rooted in introspection. Moments like this offer a glimpse into her influences, shedding light on the foundation of her artistry and what continues to drive her forward.

Tonight’s performance showcases an artist unafraid to take risks and staying true to herself. Her bravery in constantly evolving—whether through genre shifts or bold creative choices—sets her apart from most artists in today’s mainstream. SASAMI’s refusal to settle into one sound makes her a standout in modern music. It is clear that her artistic journey is only just beginning, and audiences would do well to pay attention as she continues to push boundaries and follow her creative instincts. Personally we can’t wait to catch her again in whatever form that may be. What. An. Artist.

Images by Alex Cropper