A chill pierced through the air as concertgoers walked towards the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. Electronic ghosts moved slowly, swishing through purple and blue lights. Fans of Phoebe Bridgers gathered near merch stations before surrendering their phones for the entire concert in “yonder pouches.” Many attendees wore extravagant costumes following Bridger’s social media post, telling fans to dress up for what she called “Phoebeween.” Her last concert, four years ago on the same weekend, brought a timeless sense of nostalgia for die-hard fans in Los Angeles.
The line stretched up and down the escalators as fans walked to their seats, bought merch, and mingled. As they entered the dome, echoes of chatter filled the space. Conversations about who she might bring out as a special guest, the songs she might sing, and what to expect. No one knew what to expect, but everyone followed the concert rules: no phones. That meant no TikTok videos or Instagram reels to prepare attendees for what would happen during the concert.
As people made their way in, the artist Alex G played his setlist. A gentle, subtle silence flowed through the stadium as attendees listened to the performer. Small whispers surrounded the seats, along with taps of impatience, as they waited for Bridgers to come out at 9.pm sharp.
Bridger’s entrance mirrored the emotions flooding the room. Thrill. Excitement. Revival, even. Screams and pure happiness drifted through her fans as she entered in strobing bright blue lights underneath an igloo on the main stage. Bridgers and her band emerged from beneath the dome dressed as characters from Peter Pan – Bridgers, naturally, as Peter Pan himself. In contrast, the rest of the band took on roles of the crocodile, Wendy, and other familiar characters. But, perhaps the most beautiful moment was when Bridgers submerged herself in sparkling lights to greet her fans; she wasn’t met with cameras or iPhones, but real people.
The first song felt almost natural to the audience as she sang “Motion Sickness”; attendees sang along and bounced around like it was second nature. Throughout the concert, she performed songs from her newest album, “Lost Weekend”, along with her older albums, “Punisher” and “Stranger in the Alps”.
The dome was dark, mostly because the glare of electronic devices was absent. Bridgers finished her first couple of songs and slowly sank into a trap door, and minutes later ended up on a stage with just herself in the middle of the stadium. The lights were dimmed, and all that was left was the glow of her piano.
Bridgers sat down and introduced herself to the crowd. She led with a story, telling the stadium that when she was younger, her father abused her mother, rather severely. Just four years ago, Bridger’s father passed away. Her mom on the other hand gave her the space to process and grieve a loss she didn’t even know she was allowed to feel. She thanked her mom, pointing to the front of the audience. The grief of her father had impacted her in ways she couldn’t describe at first, following many lyrics in the songs she wrote in her new album. After fiercely sharing her story, she took a deep breath and told the audience her vulnerability would have been on social media if attendees had their phones accessible. She thanked the crowd and slowly let her next song carry a gentle weight.
As she sang the song “Still Standing,” the lyrics slipped off her tongue and into the air.
“I saw her bleeding over the sink, but when you said sorry you were looking at me.”
At that moment, the best of human nature met Phoebe Bridgers. The lyrics were cradled by a group of fans who had nothing to do except listen to her story.
She follows with “I can’t imagine you dead. But you are every day. Thank you for everything.”
The crowd quietly hums with the echo of grief and pain.
The concert slowly goes on as she plays one hit song after the next, making her way back up to the main stage. Bridgers sang one of her last songs, “Savior Complex,” but to everyone’s surprise, her special guest was none other than Billie Eilish. Screams were loud as the song continued, verse by verse. Afterward, Bridgers said, “And you don’t have your phones to prove it.”
The audience yelled even louder, waiting for an encore. Her last song, “Scott Street,” left the stadium in bright glitter lights, immersing each attendee in much more than a concert, but an experience.
The Phoebe Bridgers’ Lost Tour concert presented human nature at its finest. Fans didn’t just attend the venue; they experienced it. They experienced her. And nonetheless, they experienced moments without a blaring screen distracting them from the moment. Bridgers reintroduced what a concert has always been intended to be – an encounter.
