[ATTENDED: July 22, 2022] Clairo
Clairo’s Sling tour with Arlo Parks was supposed to happen at the Fillmore on February 26 2022. It had been sold out for a long time. I had actually been interested in going just to see Arlo Parks. But by the time my daughter said she wanted to go to see Clairo, it was long sold out.
I followed along because something happened to the show the night before. And then the Philly show was was postponed on that day with almost no warning.
Apparently it was a COVID scare, but the communication was terrible and people didn’t hear until minutes before the show was supposed to start. However, the rescheduled date was a gain for me because tickets immediately went on sale and I snatched up 2 at 7PM that evening.
My daughter has the misfortune (or good taste, I guess) to like popular people. So this show was sold out and packed.
We did not like Jonah Yano and actually moved to the foyer to sit at a table while his jazzy set droned on. When Clairo’s set was about to begin we entered and were stuck at the back, unsurprisingly. She doesn’t mind being in the back, but I find myself rather disengaged from things that far back.
And good grief did people talk a lot around us. The fans were terrible. I assume these were people who will be happy to say they were at the show but couldn’t tell you a thing about it. You can hear some of their evening plans on some of the video clips I took.
As for the show itself, the backing screen looked like an old fashioned test pattern, which I rather liked. When the stage was lit up it had a cool jazzy cafe feel with lamps and a warm overall vibe. lt quite 1970s (does quick confirmation: yes, Clairo is 24),
I rather liked several songs from Clairo’s first album. I now I liked them because every time i heard them I asked who it was. Over and over until I figured out I liked her. But her new album I didn’t like as much. I was in the vast minority in this opinion though as everyone loved this new mature album (except me, the mature one in the audience). My daughter and I agreed that the album was kinda dull. But we still thought she’d be good live.
She opened on piano but soon switched to guitar. She played three songs from Sling and then moved to Immunity. The crowd up front was very young (I could hear the screams from up front). I assume they were excited about Sling, but they were really excited about the older songs. And when she played “Bags,” a song I really like, the place erupted.
“Bags” and the rest of her first album had a bedroom pop vibe (which the stage set kind of mimicked). But the new album is very very jazzy. She had a flute player whom I enjoyed very very much. But there was also a saxophonist which i did not enjoy at all (there was way too much saxophone this evening). Indeed, there were lengthy jazzy jams which just seemed so odd for the young woman who brought us these alterna pop songs.
Like with Beach Bunny, I realize that I am not the target demographic for this music, although amusingly, the whole coffeehouse/jazzy vibe doesn’t really scream teenage girls either.
And yet, I think “Bags” is a great song. Simple, catchy with a great melody and wonderful earworm of a hook.
A few songs later she switched to acoustic guitar and played more or less solo. “Just for Today” sounded nice in the style.
The rest of the show was fully jazzed up. I did enjoy a few of the newer songs, like “Amoeba” which has a slinky fun vibe to it. But the end of the set featured a big old jazzy jam session with a lengthy sax and flute solo. It was the most unexpected thing for me and I can’t imagine that the kids were really into it, but who knows.
She ended the set with three old songs. The two songs from her debut EP the crowd went bonkers for. She ended with “Sofia” a terrific song that sounded great live. It was a high not ending for an otherwise meh show for me. I’ll have to get my daughter’s take on it.
UPDATE: I did wind up getting tickets for Arlo Parks for her upcoming tour. But I ultimately didn’t feel like going out that night so I still haven’t see her.
SETLIST
- Bambi §
- Zinnias §
- Wade §
- North ⊗
- Bags ⊗
- Harbor §
- Alewife ⊗
- Softly ⊗
- Blouse §
- Just for Today §
- Little Changes §
- Partridge §
- Reaper §
- Joanie §
- Amoeba §
- Management §
- 4EVER Þ
- Pretty Girl Þ
- Sofia ⊗
She played plenty more well-loved tracks from “Sling,” such as “Amoeba” and my personal favourite, “Management.” Each of them sounded so beautiful, so whimsical and distinguished. And although everyone sang along to each song she performed, nothing can compare to
the level of volume that her last three songs earned. “4EVER”, “Pretty Girl,” and “Sofia” closed her set, and they’re arguably her most popular songs. And they were a perfect end to that wonderful setlist. They excited the audience, the familiarity drew everyone to take advantage of the last moments of the show, and they perfectly pointed out how much Clairo has grown in these last few years. The difference between her latest album and her last is like night and day. The difference between both times I had the chance to see her perform is crystal clear, and it was honestly a blessing to be present and see with my own two eyes the development Clairo has gone through in her music and how distinguished she is as an artist.
And with that, Clairo and the rest of her band bow in front of their audience, and Clairo thanks the crowd very quickly for attending her concert before leaving the stage, and the venue lights turn back on. As my friend and I took our exit, I ran my mouth to her, explaining all of my thoughts and predicting that I would dive right back into religiously listening to Clairo. After a few days, it definitely came true; I just kinda wish I could hear the new live adaptations of her older songs.
Leave a Reply