From the moment you walked through the doors, the energy of the stadium felt different from that of a standard concert; since our phones were locked up after scanning our tickets, people were far more sociable than I’ve ever seen. People milled about the halls, passed around glow in the dark stars as part of a fan project in lieu of flashlights, and excitedly speculated with their seatmates about what they’d heard about the show. Others sat with a pen and paper, furiously taking notes and sketching as much of the stage as they could to memorialize the day.

 

Following a wonderful opening set from Alex G, a black disco ball descended from the B-stage and

flashed green lasers across the crowd as “The Outside” played, kicking off the show. A dome covering the main stage lifted, revealing Phoebe Bridgers and her band as the crowd roared. After just a few songs, it became clear that the scale of this tour was unlike anything Phoebe had done before, and unlike anything I’d ever seen. The lights during this show were absolutely unreal; at times, I felt like I was in a planetarium rather than an arena. The dome over the main stage morphed into planets, spaceships, and the night sky itself as the songs saw fit. Over on the B-stage, the disco ball and ring of lights around it created the shape of a spaceship, with green light shining down on Bridgers as smoke swirled in the light, making it seem like she was being beamed up while singing “Still Standing”. While belting the explosive bridge of “As Above”, glitter rained down on her from the “spaceship” beams, sparkling rainbow as it caught the light. Phoebe remarked that she wanted to be in control of the lights in a way that wouldn’t be possible with thousands of phone screens lighting up the crowd; her vision certainly paid off as she created something that felt like an art piece.

 

I found that having no phones also made for a much more intimate experience. I cried far more than I ever expected to, in part because I could be present in my body without worrying about how I sound or if I’d get caught in someone’s video, but also because the show felt deeply personal. Before “Still Standing”, Phoebe spoke candidly about her relationship with her father and how it influenced her latest album, sharing more than she ever could while looking out to a sea of phones. Afterwards, the crowd seemed to hold their breath, maintaining a respectful silence throughout as she beautifully sang. Still, Phoebe knew how to balance melancholy with happiness, playing her punchier songs like “Bobby” and “Liberty Tree” after the more heartbreaking tracks; You quickly forget you were ever crying as you headbang along with her. There was no shortage of interaction with the audience throughout the night. Phoebe often runs across the stage, stopping to beam and wave at those seated next to her set-up, much to our excitement over in the first row. Later, she walks alongside the pit barricade when moving between main stage and B-stage, laughing and high-fiving the crowd along her way. The crowd fed off her undeniable excitement, with surprise guest Lucy Dacus even remarking “you guys are so loud!” after hearing our raucous screams following an electric performance of “Not Strong Enough”.

 

The show closed out with Bridgers on the B-stage once again, first singing “Lost Weekend (Reprise)” over a piano while quite literally glowing in the light, then finishing with “Scott Street”. Here, all the stadium lights were turned on, so you could see every single face in the arena. As she repeated “don’t be a stranger”, the entire crowd began to wave their arms together in what was the most emotional experience of the entire show to me; a very beautiful moment of community as strangers all held each other and swayed together. I walked out of that arena wishing all shows would be phone-free. The sheer level of connection between Bridgers and the audience without devices is something there are truly no words for. I may only have merch and tarot cards as “proof” I attended the concert, but the memories are ones I will hold for a lifetime.