By Addison Brewer-Hay
Beth Gibbons embarks on her latest tour for her solo debut album: Lives Outgrown. Bringing her music to Boston’s Orpheum Theater April 4th, Gibbon’s performance brought an intimate experience to audience members.
Beth Gibbons started her career in the early 1990s with the band Portishead that was formed in Bristol, England. The band is most known for their tripop sound – a genre that blends electronic music, vocals, and elements of jazz and funk.
Although the band has never formally broken up, Gibbons embarked on an independent tour March 29th.
On April 4th, the Lives Outgrown Tour brought Gibbons to Boston. The lights dimmed at 8:00 as Gibbons’ opener Cass McCombs took the stage. Performing an acoustic set, McCombs played his indie folk originals including “County Line” and “Angel Blood.”
After a brief break, Gibbons took the stage at 9:05, opening with her song “Tell Me Who You Are Today”.
Gibbons and her band utilized fog machines, glow sticks, and backdrops to create an experience, displaying nature-like displays. Using her set and lighting to emphasize the emotion of her music and her unique sound, the audience was placed into a multi-sensory experience.
Gibbons also utilized shifting lights of red, green and blue, to light up the audience, incorporating her listeners into the concert experience.
Anxiously awaiting the next song, listeners called out to Gibbons on the stage.
“We love you Beth,” could be heard from one audience member at the back of the theater before another added “Thank you for coming to Boston.”
Playing for an hour and fifteen minutes, Gibbon’s set featured an encore where she played “Reaching Out” and the Portishead’s hit “Roads”.
Gibbons brings her music worldwide and will conclude her tour on August 7th in Gothenburg, Sweden.
