St. Vincent took the Castaways stage by storm last Thursday night, infecting the crowd with her overwhelming enthusiasm and lovable charm. A newcomer to Ithaca, St. Vincent became acquainted with Finger Lakes region while her fans were also experiencing something fresh: an introduction into the singer’s captivating musical world.

Prior to her solo career, Annie Clark (St. Vincent) attended the Berklee College of Music for three years before dropping out. She went on to join The Polyphonic Spree, a choral symphonic rock band, and play as a part of Sufjan Stevens’s touring band. It was during her time on the road with Stevens that Clark recorded and released her first three songs and adopted her stage name. From that point forward, Clark’s new persona has become nationally recognized as she continues to build her musical career.

Crying like a fire in the sun: Annie Clark, a.k.a. St. Vincent, has been making waves in the indie rock scene since going solo following stints in The Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens backing band.A rousing round of applause welcomed Clark to the stage on Thursday. Strapping her electric guitar around her neck, the singer looked fragile against the four men surrounding her. A mane of messy black curls overtook her pale face, and her black get-up only highlighted her petite nature. But as she opened her mouth to sing the first line of “The Strangers,” it became clear to the audience that the singer was much more powerful than her appearance implied.

Burning the rosin: Daniel Hart ripped it up on fiddle.Throughout the show, Clark’s vocal performance was impeccable. Her voice was calming yet strong, and captivated the audience with its beauty. Certain tunes further highlighted the uniqueness of her choral talents, specifically “The Party” and “Marry Me John.” The rhythmical lyrics of “The Party” allowed Clark’s voice to become wholly blended into the song, creating a symbiotic relationship between the singer and her accompanying musicians.

Voice of the Muse: Clark wooed the crowd with tunes from Actor and Marry Me.Clark’s compositional skills were also on display throughout her performance. This was particularly evident in the songs she played off her sophomore album, Actor. In her performance of “Save Me From What I Want” and “Marrow,” a clear juxtaposition between the woodwinds, guitar and drums could be heard. Clark’s aggressive guitar riffs corrupted the soft and smooth sounds created by the saxophone and clarinet. Coupled with a hard beat, these intricate compositions produced a rich sound that the audience eagerly accepted as they danced the night away.

Sandwiched between new music, the pop sounds of Clark’s older tracks sounded updated in their live versions. A favorite off Marry Me, “Now, Now” sounded much more raw during Clark’s set. Daniel Hart’s violin performance was spectacular, as Clark’s vocals came across much stronger than on the recorded track.

Even with the variation in song structure and tone, a dreamy quality persisted throughout the show. Clark uses her lyrics to articulate the lack of complacency she feels in her relationships and the world around her. Therefore, it is fitting that, as she describes the parts of her life that may be slightly unsatisfactory, she creates a sound that evokes a daydreaming quality through which she can escape her reality. The singer’s movements on stage only mimic this feeling, as she slowly marched in place, interacting with the other musicians and the audience. Eyes wide, she was continuously pulled back and forth by the emotions evoked from the striking music.

Clark’s 10-song set was followed by a lively encore. At first taking the stage alone, the singer spoke directly to the audience, revealing her fear that no one would have shown up to this show. “This is totally pleasant and totally unexpected,” she exclaimed to the crowd. They eagerly responded with “I love you Annie,” “St. Vincent, you rock!” and a call for a crowd favorite: Clark’s cover of The Beatles’ “Dig A Pony.”

The singer enthusiastically answered her fans’ persistent requests. Alone with her electric guitar, Clark produced one of the best performances of the night. Recreating a classic rock song can be challenging, but Clark made it look simple as she made her mark on the famous track. The positive response to the song prompted the singer to declare that this was her favorite performance of her current tour.

Finishing her encore with a bang, Clark performed “Your Lips Are Red,” a track from her freshman album. A crowd favorite, the audience sung along as they danced to the song’s solid beat.

Fans remained stunned as the song drew to a close, amazed by the show they had just witnessed. Annie Clark’s first appearance in Ithaca proved to be a success, and as her fans trickled out into the misty October night, they all hoped that this would not be her last visit to upstate New York.