A Lou-vly Opener
Clairo’s third album came out over the summer, and now she’s on the road performing and Charming audiences across the globe. Boston fans were lucky as Clairo spent three nights at the Roadrunner, from October 28th to the 30th. I got to attend the second night and Clairo, AKA 26-year-old Claire Cottrill, crafted a show that the audience will reminisce about “4EVER.” And that all began with a lovely opener…
Alice Phoebe Lou, a 31-year-old singer-songwriter from South Africa, has become a go-to for indie music lovers on the whimsical and gentle side of things. Her songs such as “Lover / / Over the Moon,” “Open My Door,” and “Glow” (all of which she played for the night) drew the audience in with her gorgeous fluttering vocals that cast a spell over the crowd—everyone in my sight was swaying from side to side for her whole set.
Alice's latest record Shelter, which is a little over a year old, is such a beautiful companion to Clairo’s latest project Charm. Their songs harmoniously exist together on a playlist, so Alice's opening for Clairo made perfect sense, and she knew that, saying “I’m so happy for you—that you’re here. Well done.” Any anxieties were melted from the crowd with her lullaby-like music, and by the time the last song “Witches” played, the room’s energy was divine. Alice was a flash of blonde hair in the purple stage light, and while her time was brief, she left the night with many new fans.
But Before We Begin…
The crowd was abuzz as Clairo walked onto the stage in a drapey blue dress and what had (since this tour began) become her signature black headphones. The stage’s backdrop — set with gold curtains and strings of metallic circles that caught the light — added a sparkly and classic element to the atmosphere. Clairo and the band’s first order of business was taking a seat and having a drink together while “After Laughter (Comes Tears)” by Wendy Rene played. When the song ended, they raised their glasses to the crowd and crowd members with drinks met them in cheers, and then, the show officially began.
The band formed a semicircle around Clairo, dispersing to their respective instruments set up on raised platforms all framing the center stage. “Nomad,” the first song off of Charm, fittingly began the show, and it was followed by two other tracks from the album, “Second Nature,” and “Thank You.” Clairo looked like she was having fun performing for the crowd; she was sauntering around the stage, playing with the tassels on her dress, all while the music created a relaxed atmosphere with jazzy folk and indie elements. The first thing she said to the crowd was “Boston, oh my goodness, hi!” and she received a second wave of warm greetings from the audience.
Clairo Says
The set was 19 songs long, a comprehensive show for any Clairo fan, with tracks from all over her discography, including going back to her bedroom pop roots. Most songs played were naturally from the new record, however, fans got to listen to some old favorites live, such as “Flaming Hot Cheetos,” “How,” and “4EVER.” Listening to those songs the way they were produced has Clairo’s vocals a bit more subdued and purposefully fuzzy, but hearing them live years after their releases left an updated impression on the audience; same Clairo, same soft timeless voice, but a fresh take—her vocals were clear, and carried through the venue.
Clairo used her microphone, not only to sing but also to interact with the audience a little bit. Clairo is a Massachusetts girl, raised in Carlisle, Massachusetts, and she made it feel like a home show. She had fun little quips throughout the night ranging from, “You guys are fun. I like you!” to “Your energy’s bubbling” to “Wanna dance with me Boston?” Of course, every time the audience was prompted, they responded with a burst of noise—they knew what to do.
Red Line Appreciation
As is true for seeing any artist live, while Clairo’s setlist was full of songs that were familiar to the crowd, there were “Little Changes” that made the trip to the Brighton neighborhood worthwhile. Her band was full of talented individuals (two who were previously Berklee students) and their playing elevated the already delightful music to another level. There were a few special elements such as some flute action during “Bambi,” and saxophone played for “Add Up My Love.”
As the show began to wind down, the time came for Boston’s long-awaited song. “Alewife,” off of Clairo’s debut album “Immunity,” was named after a stop on the Red Line. While it is one of Clairo’s saddest songs to date, it brought a lot of joy to the audience to hear a song which many have a close relationship to, in all its glory. Plus, it closed out with an epic saxophone solo.
“It's officially time to dance,” Clairo said before beginning the final trilogy of songs for the October night. “Bags,” “Sexy to Someone,” and “Juna,” renewed the energy in the room after “Alewife”; people sung loudly and danced enthusiastically to all three. It is hard to sum up what it was like hearing these three played back to back, but Clairo sort of did. She told the Boston crowd, “That was really f---ing cool. I loved that with you guys.” Something tells me that the feeling was mutual.
