“…it always comes in threes”
On the Eve of Halloween, Clairo concluded her three-night, sold out residency at Boston’s Roadrunner with Alice Phoebe Lou. The show was nothing but a treat.
Dressed in a form fitting, thrifted skeleton dress, Lou glided into the spotlight. After sharing her gratitude for having the opportunity to play three nights for Boston, she kicked off her Asics and settled into her Boston setlist for one last time. As her long blonde hair swayed in time to her hips, Lou performed songs like “Underworld” and “a gentle love song” titled “Lover // Over The Moon.”
To document one of her “biggest shows to date,” Lou paused to take individual film photos of all the band members in their costumes before leaving the stage. “Thank you for this wonderful treat,” she called out to the captivated crowd who were dressed in creative costumes of their own.
After a brief pause, Clairo and her band entered the stage dressed in their Halloween costumes. Clairo was dressed fittingly as Wednesday Addams for the Wednesday night affair. Instead of assuming their spots to play, they lounged on the set and sipped drinks to Wendy Rene’s song “After Laughter (Comes Tears).” As fans looked on, watching the band giggle and chat, it felt as if they had all stumbled on something intimate and joyful, something to leave undisturbed. In a very Pedro Pascal “ you should hear this too” moment, Clairo eventually broke the fourth wall and raised a glass to the audience inviting them to join in. An invite, the crowd happily accepted with cheers.
Joined by family and friends, Boston’s Carlyle, MA native began her set with “Nomad,” a track off her second studio album Charm. Surrounded by a tinsel curtain and a chartreuse chair, possibly the one from the album cover, Clairo descended into 18 honest and heartfelt tracks.
Last time Clairo had performed in the city, “Sofia,” a song notably absent from her “Charm” setlist, had just started trending on TikTok, which rapidly expanded her audience. Although the notoriety was much deserved, the lack of respect that some concert goers had for her was not. On this night, Bostonians were on their best behavior – no lewd commentary or unwanted garments thrown on stage – which was not only gratefully noted in Clairo’s commentary, but in her persistent smile.
“Because we’re in Boston..,” Clairo played Alewife, a tribute to the Cambridge train station. “In Massachusetts, only thirty minutes from Alewife…,” she sang as she strummed her acoustic guitar. Other songs performed from behind the microphone or dancing with the cord snaked around her finger included “Thank You,” her 2015 release “Bubblegum,” and “Flaming Hot Cheetos,” a popular inspiration for costumes that night. “Some of them are kind of sexy to me,” Clairo commented on the creative outfits before playing “Sexy to Me.”
As Clairo played out the subdued show with the album’s lead track “Juna” and said her farewells, the “Charmed” crowd was left longing for an invite to her next soiree.
To be “Charmed” on the “Charm” Tour, visit https://clairo.com/ for tickets.
