Phoebe Bridgers performed a communal and surprisingly intimate no-device gig at New York’s Madison Square Garden as part of her ‘Spring Pop-Up Tour’ – using the gig to call out ICE and raise funding for immigrants.
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The show came after the singer-songwriter played her first live solo live show in three years last month in Roswell, New Mexico, where she debuted three new songs and strongly suggested that a new album is on its way.
Announced on Monday (June 1), tickets to the NYC arena show were made available via Tidal and randomly allocated to fans who registered to attend, with options to pay $1, $5, $10, or $20 and all proceeds from ticket sales going towards Community Justice Exchange’s Immigration Bond Freedom Fund, which provides aid and bail to those in ICE detention centres.
Before the event on Thursday night (June 5), those planning to attend were made aware of the strict no electronics, cameras, phones, Google Glass, Apple Watches policy – and journalists were told not to bring pens, pencils, or paper because lyrics had leaked online during previous shows. Upon arrival, guests were given Yondr pouches for their cellphones and devices, and black paper tickets to find their seat numbers.
A small platform, staged to look like a ‘70s basement and decorated with a small couch draped in a vintage blanket, lava lamps, blacklight posters, and a small boxy television playing video clips in between scenes of static, was set up in the large venue, with Bridgers joined by keyboardist Nick White and longtime collaborator Christian Lee Hutson on guitar for the acoustic set.
Bridgers walked onto the stage by shouting a cheerful “surprise” before performing a stripped-back and meditative rendition of her hit ‘Motion Sickness’, with the sold-out venue completely silent outside of Bridgers’ voice. She acknowledged the rarity of the evening, saying,“It’s weird not having a phone, isn’t it?” adding that she herself hadn’t been to a no-phone show.
She also told the crowd, “I appreciate you allowing this to be an internet-free zone,” before jesting, “If any of you stuck an Apple Watch up your ass to record this, please don’t post it on the internet,” opening her arms and then sharing with a grin, “I trust you.”
The trio then performed fan favourites, ‘Waiting Room’, ‘Kyoto,’ and ‘Moon Song’, before rolling into seven new tracks — many of which continued the singular sound Bridgers built on her acclaimed second album, 2020’s ‘Punisher’ — melancholy lyrics made up of astute observations of the state of the world and relationships, backed by slow strumming guitars and orchestration that oscillates from Americana to indie folk.
However, some of the songwriting harkened back to the unabashed candidness of her debut album, 2017’s ‘Stranger in the Alps’. A new nunber she announced with “This song is about the past, though I’m told all of my songs are,” came with a crushing, crescendoing chorus that saw her and Hutson strumming emphatically as she alluded to an ill-fated engagement. Elsewhere, she enlisted keys, shaping a sparkling melody around Peter Pan metaphors that seem to shine a light on men with arrested development.
There was also a twangy, upbeat, rootsy track she presented with the words “Here’s a country song,” that came complete with a pre-chorus “woo”. Before a final new song, she performed ‘Scott Street’ and ‘Graceland Too’, with fans taking part in the classic rock practice of holding up lighters during the latter, which she called “unbelievable.”
Throughout the set, Bridgers took the opportunity to thank fans for raising funds to support the release of immigrants from ICE detainment, sharing “I hate those fucking ICE idiots,” and calling them “cops squared”. At one point, she also asked the crowd how many of their parents were conservative, before thanking them for being brave and “defecting.”
Towards the close, she gave streaming platform Tidal a shoutout for hosting the event and “paying artists more than any other platform. She also shared “we’re going on tour” pointing to her announcement of ‘The Lost Tour’. Bridgers’ first solo tour in three years kicks off in September, with dates spanning North America, Europe and the UK. Support acts will be Alex G in North America and Isaac Wood in the UK/EU. According to Bridgers’ Instagram, the upcoming dates will also be device-free. She captioned the tour announcement, “I’m going on tour no phones.”
Phoebe Bridgers’ Madison Square Garden setlist was:
‘Motion Sickness’
‘Waiting Room’
‘Kyoto’
‘Moon Song’
‘Unknown new song’
‘Unknown new song’
‘Unknown new song’
‘Unknown new song’
‘Unknown new song’
‘Unknown new song’
‘Unknown new song’
‘Graceland Too’
‘Scott Street’
‘Unknown new song’
‘I Know the End’
The news of ‘The Lost Tour’ comes following the singer, songwriter and guitarist being largely away as a solo artist for years now, not releasing an album since 2020’s ‘Punisher’ and wrapping up her last full tour in 2023.
She has also not been busy with her group Boygenius – featuring Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker – in the time since 2023 either, with the trio announcing hiatus following the completion of their critically acclaimed album, ‘The Record’.
Support on The Lost Tour comes from Alex G at the North American shows and Isaac Wood at UK and European dates, and Bridgers has confirmed that there will be a “no phones” rule at all upcoming gigs.
According to a new press release, this will see “all phones, smartwatches, and related accessories secured in pouches” throughout the gig, and only opened and returned to visitors after the show has ended.
Tickets go on sale on Friday (June 12) at 10am local time, and pre-sale options kick off on Wednesday (June 10). Visit here for tickets and more information.
Bridgers has also partnered with PLUS1 so that €1/£1 from every ticket sold on the European tour leg goes to local organisations working to support those impacted by sexual assault and violence.
Phoebe Bridgers’ ‘The Lost Tour’ dates are:
SEPTEMBER
15 — Indianapolis, IN @ Gainbridge Fieldhouse
17 — St. Paul, MN @ Grand Casino Arena
19 — Chicago, IL @ United Center
22 — Columbus, OH @ Nationwide Arena
25 — Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center
26 — Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center
28 — Philadelphia, PA @ Xfinity Mobile Arena
29 — Washington, DC @ Capital One Arena
October:
1 — Toronto, ON @Scotiabank Arena
3 — Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena
6 — Boston, MA @TD Garden
9 — Charlotte, NC @ Spectrum Center
10 — Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena
13 — Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena
16 — Austin, TX @ Moody Center
17 — Fort Worth, TX @ Dickies Arena
19 — Denver, CO @ Ball Arena
21 — Salt Lake City, UT @ Delta Center
23 — Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena
24 — Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena
27 — San Francisco, CA @ Chase Center
20 — Inglewood, CA @ Intuit Dome
31 — Inglewood, CA @ Intuit Dome
November:
23 — Dublin, Ireland @ 3Arena
26 — Manchester, United Kingdom @ Co-op Live
27 — Glasgow, United Kingdom @ OVO Hydro
28 — Birmingham, United Kingdom @ bp pulse LIVE
December:
1 — London, United Kingdom @ The O2
4 — Paris, France @ Adidas Arena
5 — Brussels, Belgium @ Forest National
7 — Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Ziggo Dome
8 — Düsseldorf, Germany @ Mitsubishi Electric Halle
9 — Berlin, Germany @ Velodrom
111 — Copenhagen, Denmark @ Royal Arena
12 — Stockholm, Sweden @ Avicii Arena
Bridger’s last solo album ‘Punisher’, was named by NME as the fifth best album of 2020, and her last album with Boygenius, ‘The Record’, was named as NME’s album of 2023.