Final night time, whereas I circled round Local weather Pledge Enviornment in search of parking, Nina Simone’s “For Myself” got here on my shuffled Spotify. “For myself / I have to study for myself / Not from what another person / Has mentioned or accomplished” she coos. With some gentle disappointment that I used to be on my own, this grew to become my mantra all through the night time. I’m attempting to embrace going to live shows alone. And, contemplating that I’ve solely ever listened to Maggie Rogers in personal, this one appeared notably acceptable to attend as a celebration of 1.
Rogers’ sound occupies the purgatory between pop and indie music. Her music doesn’t fairly slot in on Prime 40 radio, but it’s a bit too polished to be embraced by faculty stations. Till this week, I had by no means knowingly met a Maggie Rogers fan. Certainly they’re all over the place—I imply, she booked a 17,200-seat enviornment—however maybe her fan base is an introverted bunch. In any case, her sound is the right music to bounce alone to.
One factor about being alone anyplace is that it’s useful to have a beverage in hand to sip when you do not know what else to do. I walked as much as the sector bar and ordered the signature cocktail of the night time: the Don’t Overlook Me—named after Rogers’s newest album. It was Jack Daniels, lemon-lime soda, grenadine, and a maraschino cherry (principally a spiked Shirley Temple). The bartender gave me two cherries, which I selected to imagine was a very good omen.
After Ryan Beatty performed a good eight-song set perched on prime of a tree stump, Rogers rose from the stage flooring in a thick cloud of fog donning a glittering silver cape like Samantha within the ‘60s sitcom Bewitched. The Maraschino Cherry Omen was proper: As she ran across the stage belting “That’s The place I Am” from her 2022 album Give up, I used to be instantly struck by her command of the stage. Her presence is someplace between stadium live performance king Bruce Springsteen and that video of Miley Cyrus singing Bikini Kill’s “Insurgent Woman” whereas operating on a treadmill, and I’m right here for all of it.
On the danger of being cyberbullied by Maggie Rogers followers, I’ll admit that I solely ever hearken to considered one of her songs at a time. The constant belting all through her songs—regardless of being lovely and spectacular—can typically depart me feeling fatigued by the tip of an album. However her uncooked vocals and magnetism shine brightest in a dwell setting. This could possibly be the rationale that she’s been touring persistently for eight years.
Midway by means of the set, Rogers tucked into the piano whereas her band took a break. She lit some incense and took a sip of whiskey. “Did anybody right here see me on the Triple Door in 2016?” she requested the group. “Flip in your telephone flashlight when you did—I need to see you!” A couple of dozen lights twinkled across the enviornment.
Her acoustic solo songs have been the spotlight of the night time, showcasing a vocal vary that may go from the ethereal mezzo-soprano tone of Sarah McLachlan to the operatic rock energy of Ann Wilson in a single breath. Different highlights from the setlist included a surprising slowed-down jazz-vocal rendition of her 2019 tune “Say It” and an brisk cowl of Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly.” As she closed out the set with considered one of her hottest songs, “Mild On,” Rogers waved the group goodbye and ran off stage whereas catching confetti in her palm like falling snowflakes.
All of us knew that wasn’t really the tip, proper? Due to setlist.fm, most audiences know when to count on an encore. She sang the album’s title observe “Don’t Overlook Me.” I fished out the cherries from the underside of my cup. Maraschino cherries are form of disgusting, however I paid $23 for this drink, so I needed to make it depend.
