#5 Tame impala
Starting us is the first concert I ever attended, Tame Impala. Ever since I saw videos from Tame Impala’s concerts right before quarantine back in 2020, I knew that at the first chance I got, I needed to see him. I finally got to see him in March of 2022. I remember specific moments while watching his set as I discovered my love for live music and the surliness of being in a space with hundreds of thousands of people all for the same reason of resonating with the same person/band. His performance of the song “Eventually” off the album Currents, was my favorite of the show as it included the perfect amount of lighting and stage effects to make it a trademark Tame Impala performance while still being raw and emotional. What makes a Tame Impala concert so unique is that he and his band do not move around the stage much and for most of the show you don’t even see his face on the screens. He instead uses visual lighting and laser effects as well as trippy imagery on the screens to accompany his songs, making his concerts more of an overall experience rather than a performance. At first glance, you may think his concert would be overstimulating because of his heavy use of effects, but everything used was so cohesive with his music and the energy, that they only enhanced his concerts, instead of making them feel chaotic or overdone. To say that a Tame Impala concert is an incomparable experience is an understatement.
#4 Maggie Rogers
Number four will have to go to Maggie Rogers. Maggie Rogers is a modern-day “Pop Star,” but not in the most traditional way. Maggie received a Bachelor’s degree in Music Production and English from NYU and just recently completed her master’s degree at Harvard, studying Religion and Public Life. So needless to say, she is an extraordinary writer and producer, but what gives her “Pop Star” status is that she is also a phenomenal performer. When Maggie entered the stage when I saw her last February she immediately began a performance full of just what was advertised to be “Feral Joy.” Maggie truly occupies her whole stage as she dances around it, while flawlessly belting out her songs that allude to themes of misunderstanding, taking control of yourself and your narrative, and coming to terms with your mistakes. I could tell just by looking around the audience that everyone in it felt a genuine connection to Maggie and her music. Her performance makes you feel all the feels, as there were moments where I would be dancing and singing my heart out as she sang her song “Want, Want” a song off her most recent album titled Surrender, which is upbeat and rock inspired. Then seconds later I would be holding back tears while she performed her song “Horses,” a song also off her most recent album, which portrays her desire to feel like a Horse running wild and to not be restrained by society’s barriers. Maggie’s show was so captivating that my dear friend and concert buddy Annie went back to watch her set again this past July and we will be back to see her again on her next tour.
#3 Gracie abrams
Coming in at number three is a “Best New Artist” nominee at this year’s Grammys, Gracie Abrams. I saw Gracie last March and also participated in her VIP experience where you get to enter the venue first and enjoy an exclusive soundcheck from her. During the soundcheck, Gracie took questions from fans and when I was lucky enough to be handed the mic I asked her what her pre-show rituals were. I honestly can’t remember what her response was because I was so starstruck to be talking to her. Gracie also took a fan request for a song to play for just us on her piano and by request, she gave a beautiful rendition of “Graceland Too” by Phoebe Bridgers. When it came time for the actual show, Gracie opened with “Where Do We Go Now” and immediately locked the crowd in with her beautifully unique and emotion-filled voice. Gracie interacts heavily with her audience and you can often find her locking eyes with one person, which is what makes her show feel so personal and intimate. What I appreciate and adore about Gracie’s show is that just like her music, it is raw and real as she doesn’t do outfit changes, choreography or use effects or props, she truly just empties her heart on stage as she serenades the audience with her songs about growing up, navigating heartbreak, and overcoming your past. My favorite part of the show was when she sang a mashup of her songs “Rockland” and “Will You Cry,” Gracie moved beautifully in and out of the two tracks and I’m impatiently waiting for the mashup to hit Spotify.
#2 Boygenius
Boygenius, the indie rock band composed of Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker will have to be the second best concert I have been to. I saw them this past June and they had three opening acts which were Bartees Strange, Dijon, and my personal favorite who most definitely contributed to making this my second favorite concert ever, Clairo. Clairo’s’ set, similar to Gracie’s, is simple but beautiful, as she hits every note effortlessly and genuinely is just the coolest person alive. When Boygenius finally took the stage that night their energy was infectious and you could tell the three had so much fun performing together as they commonly joked around between songs and at the end of the show, lovingly tackled each other to the ground. One of my favorite songs off their recent album The Record is their song “Cool About It,” which highlights each member as they each sing one of the three verses solo. Their performance of “Cool About It” was simple and emotional and showcased how they were able to transition from singing lead to immediately singing backup perfectly and how there is no “lead singer” in their band. Boygenius’s songs have a lot of range. In some songs like “True Blue,” they sing softly and sound like angels, whereas in their performance of “$20,” screaming is incorporated and the live performance channels pure rage. I think the range of styles and emotions throughout their music and live performances, as well as their ability to blend perfectly, is why Boygenius’s fan base is so loyal and avid and also what earned them the coveted “Record Of The Year” nomination at this year’s Grammys.
#1 Taylor swift
Finally, we have made it to the number one spot and the winner is deserving but also obvious, as the tour is the highest-grossing tour in history. You guessed it, Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour! I saw the Eras Tour at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA last May. The night started with two openers, Gracie Abrams and Phoebe Bridgers, so needless to say this was my dream concert. Even from the nosebleeds behind the stage, this concert altered my life completely and I had a dream last night that I was back and the Eras Tour, that’s how much I think about it. Taylor did something no one had ever done before with the Eras Tour, by performing a three-and-a-half-hour concert with sixteen outfit changes and 45 songs. Seeing the Eras Tour live was a full circle and emotional moment for me as I watched Taylor perform songs off Fearless such as “You Belong with Me,” which are some of the first songs I remember loving as a 5-year-old, songs off Red like “We Are Never Getting Back Together” that I listened to on repeat on my iPod music player in the third grade and “Cardigan” off her album Folklore which served as my quarantine soundtrack. Taylor’s music has truly been the soundtrack of mine and so many of our lives, which is why the Eras Tour not only takes us through Taylor’s Eras, but also our own, which to me at least, was the most magical experience.