Valentine's Rush with Phoebe Bridgers

Phoebe Bridgers is an LA-based singer-songwriter who released her critically acclaimed debut album Stranger in the Alps in 2017. The album is very vulnerable and cathartic with a sense of nostalgia. Even though she is considered to be an indie-folk artist it is the sincerity in her lyrics and the instrumental layers creating a unique texture in her songs that make her stand out from the rest. After touring with Indie folk heavyweights Conor Oberst (who Is featured in her song “would you rather”) and Ryan Adams (who helped her produce the 7-inch single version of “Killer”) as well as rising sensation Julien Baker. Phoebe’s audience has been growing at an incredibly fast pace. Pace so fast that she has been selling out many shows on her first tour as a headliner.

Phoebe was scheduled to play at the High Watt which is a 250-capacity intimate venue, but since she sold out the tickets fast enough and there was a big demand for the show they decided to move the event to the Cannery Ballroom, a 1,000-capacity venue which she ended up selling out too. The show took place on Valentine’s Day so it felt even more special for those who attended. The night started with an opening set from Nashville’s Soccer Mommy which is fronted by Sophie Allison. Soccer Mommy proceeded to deliver a great energetic set playing a selection of old songs and a few singles from her upcoming album Clean.

After Soccer Mommy’s set, Phoebe along with her five-piece backing band took over the stage. Her live band consisted of a guitar player, bass player, violin player, and a drummer. Phoebe and her band opened the set with the first track on the album, Smoke Signals and kept the set going while making a few remarks and interacting with the audience between songs. At one point on the set, Phoebe brought up her lawyer John Strohm (ex-drummer for the Lemonheads) to play a song with her. Near the end of the set, Phoebe brought a cupcake and had the audience sing a belated “Happy Birthday” to her bass player. Her stage production was simplistic but of good taste with a string of Christmas light wrapped around Phoebe’s microphone stand and another on the drum set, and a banner of her album’s cover art in the background that looked great under the blacklights. The last songs of her set were “Emotion Motion Sickness” which had everyone singing along to and then the final song was fans’ favorite “Scott Street”. A few minutes after exiting the stage Phoebe and her band came back on stage for an encore song along with Soccer Mommy and her lawyer. Phoebe stated that the song she was about to play is one of her favorite songs that no matter how she is feeling it will always cheer her up and then proceed to perform an outstanding rendition to Sheryl Crowes song “If It Makes You Happy”. To show the big appreciation she has for her fans, Phoebe came out to hang out with her fans and take pictures with them.

Phoebe Bridgers is definitely establishing herself as a great live performer and there is no reason to miss any of her shows in her “Farewell Tour” unless of course, the show sells out before one can grab a ticket.

Coverage by Jorge Sierra

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