Show Review: Boston “Takes a Bite” of beabadoobee at MGM Music Hall at Fenway

By Sofia Giarrusso, Staff Writer

Artist: beabadoobee

Venue: MGM Music Hall at Fenway

When: Friday, September 13th

EAGERNESS AMONG A SOLD-OUT CROWD

The historic Lansdowne Street was filled with excited concert-goers on Friday night for beabadoobee’s soldout show at MGM Music Hall at Fenway! Born Beatrice (Bea) Kristi Ilejay Laus, the British singer-songwriter has garnered a large fanbase through her genre-blending music. beabadoobee has become widely adored for soft pop hits like “the perfect pair” and “death bed (coffee for your head)” as well as more rock-central tracks like “Take A Bite.” In less than a decade, her range and artistry have amassed an NME Award along with multiple RIAA Gold Certifications. 

beabadoobee returned to Boston to support her acclaimed third studio album, This is How Tomorrow Moves, released earlier this summer and produced by the legendary Rick Rubin. This is How Tomorrow Moves sees Bea at her sonically strongest thus far with singles like “Take a Bite” and “Beaches” emphasizing her unique fingerprint in modern music. beabadoobee’s airy vocals, hypnotizing guitar riffs, and sing-along lyricism cumulate to produce a diverse catalog, resulting in an all-around fun live show!

KENI TITUS DELIVERS POP SENSIBILITY

Before beabadoobee took MGM Music Hall’s stage, two acts warmed up the crowd with stylings of their own. First up was Keni Titus, an up-and-coming pop artist who draws parallels to beabadoobee’s earlier works with her emphasis on poppier guitars and light vocals. So, it’s no surprise that Titus’ soft indie rock permeated the music hall with familiar ease. Her set was modest, yet charming as she and her three-piece band got the already-full crowd swaying with standouts like “sid & nancy” and “take it off.” Titus continually expressed her heartfelt appreciation for Bea, her fans, and the audience, and left the crowd with a perfect amount of vitality for the acts to follow. 

HOVVDY IMPRESSES WITH SOUTHERN CHARM

Hot off of their critically acclaimed fifth album, Hovvdy brought the best of Texas to Boston! The ‘slowcore’ duo, comprised of Charlie Martin and Will Taylor, arrived on stage unassumingly dressed, yet full of enthusiasm. It was quickly apparent that Hovvdy is notably grungier and more folk-inspired than beabadoobee, or even Keri Titus at that, but their edge neither hindered their performance nor spunk. The trade-off of lead vocal duties between Martin and Taylor kept their set fresh as their instrumentation maintained complexity and tightness throughout. By their conclusion, the crowd was jumping along and having just as much fun as Hovvy was on stage. Needless to say, the band’s sonic twang mixed with their genuinely skillful and refreshing approach to performing left MGM Music Hall in high spirits!

BEABADOOBEE ELECTRIFIES! 

As the pre-show music faded out and the lights dimmed, 5,000 fans immediately roared–the anticipation had finally broken, and it was beabadoobee time! She came in swinging with the punchy “California” from This is How Tomorrow Moves which commenced with a special theatrical introduction that bled into the hit as Bea’s fans know it. “California” seamlessly transitioned into “Talk” then “10:36” which strategically set and maintained high energy. 

The set design mirrored beabadoobee’s own music style–a juxtaposition of hardcore and beauty. Industrial, fluorescent lights and ladders scattered the stage as large translucent sheets hung about to reveal shadows of faux leaves (so, think a school classroom that’s in the process of being painted, but more chic)! 

As the show carried on by way of the lucid “Take a Bite” then the upbeat “Sunny Day,” it became clear that beabadoobee is most comfortable in the presence of her guitar. In fact, the British artist changed her guitar during just about every song, totaling about five different six-strings ranging from acoustic to electric, and in shades of pink to purple to green. Bea worked in perfect synchronicity with her long-time band (you could even call them “the perfect pair”) as they shared ample smiles and laughter along the way.

Throughout the night, whatever fervor Bea and her band were putting in, the crowd put out tenfold. Every audience member sang back every word and recognized every nuance to every tune, no matter the cult status. It was truly a night celebrating beabadoobee and the community she has created thus far. 

After a rocking 30-or-so minutes, the first third of the show was slowed down by “Real Man,” a track led by a dainty vocal performance, yet critical lyricism as beabadoobee proclaimed, “I guess no one ever taught you how to be a real man.” The following “Glue Song” and “Coffee” turned the music hall into a full-on campfire as Bea stood on stage alone as if the space was made for mere hundreds, never minding the expansiveness of the room beyond her. This vulnerability turned beabadoobee into an especially talented camp counselor with 5,000 ‘campers’ tenderly singing along. 

“SUBDUED, YET EXPANSIVE” IS THE NAME OF BEA’S GAME

beabadoobee carried along her 90-minute set with standout track, “Beaches,” that prompted her to exclaim, “This is my favorite song!” As the bridge hit its climax, the white sheets along the set dropped to reveal sprawled vines. The crowd cheered and the singer-songwriter smiled, taking in the exuberance that lit up the music hall. The hard-hitting “Care” followed, then “She Plays Bass” which featured a shoutout to her band, then Bea finally took the crowd full-on-rock with “Cologne.” This 2021 track delighted with its call-out lyricism and gnarly guitar solo on the bridge. As Bea and her band fled the stage after “Cologne,” the crowd refused to bring the energy back down, cheering “We want Bea!” in anticipation of an encore.

Alas, beabadoobee came back on MGM Music Hall’s stage for a three track encore. She played the first two songs, “Coming Home” and “The Way Things Go,” solo. The campfire sensibility quickly returned with Bea expressing, “You guys are so loud! It’s so much fun!” With the band coming back on stage for the final time, a fitting farewell came with “See You Soon.” Cheers wildly outlasted beabadoobee’s departure from the stage, making it even clearer that she left Boston with indescribable energy led by a lively performance and light heart.