Clairo concert

Clairo had a successful concert on Friday, Oct. 4 in Kansas City. She performed with three other bands as part of Middle of the Map Music Festival. This concert was part of her North American tour for her new album, “Immunity.” 

The event was originally supposed to be held outside at Crossroads KC, but due to rainy weather was moved to Uptown Theatre. Entering the venue was swift and simple. The security helped keep the concert safe by using a wand and checking bags. In the lobby area, each band had a table for merchandise which could be purchased throughout the show.  

Colored strobe lights and spotlights lit up the venue. Interesting visuals and shapes moved across the background of the stage. These lights added to the cool vibe of the concert. The venue was a fairly small and inclusive space, so performers were able to interact closely with the audience and even talk to people. This inclusiveness helped the artists connect with fans easily. 

Once inside the main stage area, the noise was almost overpowering. The first band, Hello Yello, came on at seven. Most of their songs were heavy metal style, so the strong bass mixed with the loud surround sound speakers made it difficult to hear the lyrics. Nonetheless, the band was very engaging and enjoyable to watch. Each member had a lot of energy which made the crowd excited and cheerful. 

Hello Yello performed for about 20 minutes and there was a short break before the second band came on stage. It would have been nice to be able to sit down during this pause, but the chairs were not in a prime location to see the stage.  

The second band, Beabadoobee, came on after a 15–minute wait. Their music could be described as indie/bedroom pop, which is similar to Clairo’s style. The songs were not too heavy on the bass, so it was more enjoyable to listen to than Hello Yello. Beabadobee brought the energy to a calmer level, which was very much appreciated. One of the best songs they played was “Disappear.” The lyrics and melody were both dream-like and peaceful. It was refreshing to hear songs of serenity after listening to loud rock. They played for a little over half an hour.  

Again, there was a break before the next band came on. During this break was when standing time became apparent since the music was no longer present to distract from the growing foot and back pain. After 20 minutes of standing around, the third artist came on stage to perform. Snail Mail, also known as Lindsey Jordan, played an interesting mix between punk and indie and the performance was captivating.  

Jordan really engaged the crowd with her vibrant guitar solos and beautiful voice. Perhaps the best part of her performance was when she covered “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls. The whole crowd sang along with her. It was truly a beautiful moment of connectedness. Another long break ensued after Snail Mail left the stage. It’s safe to say that all of the feet were in pain at this point. The stage crew came on to remove the black curtain that had been the background for the first three artists. Behind the curtain was a larger stage and a beautiful set of drums for Clairo’s drummer to use.  

After the longest break of the night, Clairo came on right at 10 p.m. The audience went wild as soon as she stepped on stage. There was hooting and clapping and even some screaming. She started off by singing “Alewife,” a song off of her newest album. Soft pink lighting and a fan blowing on her made Clairo look angelic as she sang with an angelic voice.  

She upped the tempo with “Softly,” another song from her album. During each song, a different video played on the screen behind her. Clouds passed by during this song, which made for some cool photos. Her band sounded clear and crisp – not too loud, not too quiet. Clairo utilized the whole stage to greet all her fans. She even danced around and received some more hoots for her sick moves.  

One of the best songs to hear in person was “Pretty Girl.’’ The whole audience got into it by singing along and dancing. Clairo encouraged fans to jump and have fun. Her beautiful voice could still be heard over the crowd, and her music video played in the background.  

Overall, this concert was an amazing experience. Each artist brought something special to the night. Clairo is a wonderful performer and made the atmosphere fun and exciting. She was, without a doubt, worth the three–hour drive and the excruciating foot pain, and is even worth seeing again.