Phoebe Bridgers tears up the stage during the Madison stop of her ‘Reunion’ tour
After the success of her second studio album Punisher, indie rocker Phoebe Bridgers has returned to touring across the United States on her “Reunion Tour”.
Photo: Kenzie Bright
After growing substantially in the past year due to the release of her second studio album Punisher, indie rock artist Phoebe Bridgers has returned back to touring. Her Reunion Tour (yes, it’s meant to be ironically titled) has begun across the United States. Moved to outdoor venues to ensure better safety precautions due to the pandemic, the tour kicked off in September with support from electropop band MUNA, a band that is signed to Bridgers’ label Saddest Factory, and Bartees Strange (on select dates).
I was lucky enough to have the tour stop in my city of Madison, WI, so I of course obliged — it would’ve been rude not to. After going through several changes surrounding the event (rules were changed so that attendees had to be fully vaccinated, start time changes, and venue move) and the possibility of a thunderstorm lingering in the city skies, perseverance made the show go on as planned.
Even on a day where most of the city’s populous would be at the local annual triathlon event, the line for the show at Breese Stevens field seemed like a promising turnout.
Local-based band Slow Pulp was announced as an additional opening act, and they started off the show with their wonderful stage presence and glory. Makes sense that they would be in their element considering it was a hometown show, and they took to the stage with grace. MUNA captivated the audience with their high-energy performance to close out the opening acts. The daytime skies shifted to a darker nighttime scene and Phoebe Bridgers joined them on stage to perform their recently released collaboration Silk Chiffon; giving the audience a fun surprise.
Once the openers finished, many headed to the merch line that had eventually taken up most of the space on the field. More people began to enter the venue, and those who were already in the pit were welcoming as we waited anxiously for the headliner we all had anticipated. Everyone waited for Phoebe’s entrance music of I Gotta Feeling by The Black Eyed Peas, and once it began playing the crowd felt electric and the buzz was off the charts.
Photo: Kenzie Bright
The show opened with her classic single Motion Sickness: the crowd belted every word like they were auditioning to be up there with her. While the audience were there to see her, she did a lot to make the experience fun and endearing. Cracking a few jokes here and there between songs, making light of an accidental mic malfunction, calling out Eric Clapton by changing one lyric in Moon Song, and even giving an unexpected anecdote about the small town of Eau Claire, WI — I felt right at home the entire time. It felt less like you were at a concert, but rather a group therapy session that consisted of singing along to the songs that got you through bad times or made you feel something. Even the small drizzles of rain here and there made it feel cinematic somehow.
While Phoebe herself is a talented being, the crowd also recognized the delightful talents of her backing band. A whole entourage clad in skeleton jumpsuits to match her signature costume, they each had their own glimmering moments. They often received well-deserved cheers from the audience during instrumental sections as they played with a clean crispness that is hard to match.
The show wraps up with an encore that is surprisingly not what you think. It’s a cover but, in the interest of letting you be surprised by what song it is, I won’t spoil it here. It’s a delightful note to end the show with, and if there’s any possibility of them collaborating in the future, I am down for it.
I went into this show not exactly knowing what to expect since I had never attended one of her shows before. That being said, I was exceptionally delighted to have attended. For a Sunday night, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else as exciting as being in the pit with fellow fans and singing my heart out alongside them. The night was one for the books, and if you ever happen to be near an upcoming show, then take the leap — you won’t regret it. And if she’s ever nearby playing a show again, I will definitely be in the audience for round two of seeing Phoebe Fucking Bridgers.