Austin, Texas
by Nick Berard
Continuing her sold out Reunion tour, buzzworthy Phoebe Bridgers came to Austin on a hot and beautiful night for an outdoor show at the new Waterloo Moody Amphitheater.
Bridgers has been killing it (and she blew up during the pandemic) with a sold-out tour, SNL appearance, music festivals, and collabs with Taylor Swift, The Killers, Metallica, and more.
Opening for Bridgers was Brooklyn-based Sloppy Jane led by 24 year old Haley Dahl. She, along with her 11-piece orchestra arrangement, brought avant garde (and dare I say rock opera) into a new age as she conducted her symphonic band through the 45 minute opening set. Dahl has been around, before as a 3-piece punk band with Bridgers on bass guitar. Now the band has many members and brings a chamber pop performance that is unique.
Dahl casts a spell on the doe-eyed gen Z crowd; she dances, hoots and hollers while playing the guitar and singing- all decked out in bright shiny blue with beautiful face paint to match-making her and her eyes bewitching. Sloppy Jane captivated and held the sold-out crowd’s attention as if they were the headliner.
Bridgers focused the set playing a lot from her critically acclaimed Punisher album.
Tenacious and driven with a realist view that drives her art and her advocacy for Women’s rights, this is what she also brings to her performance; she has a confidence in her lyrics and message that comes through her music and drives the phenomenon that is Phoebe Bridgers.
In questioning what the Fu*k is going on between songs, she stated that she had an abortion which threw the faithful followers into a roar. Her confidence is infectious and empowers her dedicated fan base from the front row to the adirondacks in the back lawn at the sold-out Moody Amphitheater.
Her stage screen graphics add an additional layer to the artistic lean of her whole presence.
Phoebe’s a singer songwriter, guitarist, and producer. No pop slight hand in her production and she has an enviable rack of guitars that she rotated through to accompany and exemplify her finely crafted lyrics. Her lyrics are often seen as mysterious but Bridgers is very open about life issues, taking drugs, skeletons, etc. and she answers many fan questions on social media.
I wasn’t sure what to expect. But I’m a Phoebe fan now.
Check out tour info and see all our concert photos on Austin 101 Magazine.
Set list:
Down with the Sickness (played from tape)
Motion Sickness
DVD Menu
Garden Song
Kyoto
Punisher
Halloween
Smoke Signals
Chinese Satellite
Moon Song
Scott Street
Savior Complex
ICU
Funeral
Sidelines
Graceland Too
I Know the End (with Sloppy Jane)
Encore:
Georgia (solo acoustic)
