Category: Brooklyn

Phoebe Bridgers played three nights in Brooklyn and Queens the week of June 14, 2022 to conclude the US leg of her Reunion Tour with support from Muna. The first two sold out shows at the Lena Horne Bandshell at Prospect Park in Brooklyn saw fans camping out overnight to grab a spot as close to the front as possible. The final show of her North American tour was at Forest Hill Stadium on June 16, which she called, “the biggest show I’ve ever played.”

When the Prospect Park dates first went on sale earlier this year, the two shows sold out almost immediately. Phoebe quickly announced a third date at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, teasing a secret “special guest” to be announced the day of show. Fans speculated wildly for weeks leading up to the event, and it was finally revealed as Boygenius alum and friend of Phoebe, Lucy Dacus. Lucy and her band came out after opener Muna’s set.

For the first two dates at Prospect Park, some fans lined up as early as 4:30AM and camped out overnight to secure their spot. Prospect Park was the perfect setting for a relaxing afternoon (or entire day, for some) in the park. The line wrapped around the block and wove its way through the park. The scene featured fans reading, eating lunches, and relaxing with friends on picnic blankets.

Phoebe Bridgers fans are known for their intense dedication to her music, with some of her most diehard of fans reportedly passing out at several points during her shows due to overwhelming excitement. Many in attendance adorned Phoebe Bridgers tees, tote bags, handmade signs, and tattoos, showing their devotion to the multiple Grammy Award nominated artist. Although waiting hours for an event can sometimes devolve into an impatient and tense scene, this queue featured only smiles and eager anticipation for what promised to be an unforgettable experience.

Having been only the second act signed to Phoebe’s label, Saddest Factory Records, in early 2019, Muna quickly rose in popularity before being announced as the supporting act for Phoebe’s 2022 Reunion Tour. Muna’s lyrics and public statements quickly led to their become a symbol of queer acceptance. The members of the band publicly identify as queer, and their songs explicitly handle themes of acceptanece and inclusiveness in the queer community. Both Muna and Phoebe have become strong and vocal allies for LGBTQ+ rights movements. The band wished fans a happy Pride Month several times. Fans waved rainbow flags and screamed every time she mentioned gay, trans, or queer rights issues.

Muna opened each of the three nights with a powerhouse set, their signature uplifting beats, and an entranced audience who sang along with every track. Some fan favorites included, “Number One Fan” and “I Know a Place.” Katie mentioned Muna would be releasing a new album, releasing the week following the show, and they included a song from the album in their set.

Throughout Muna’s set each night, Phoebe could be spotted beside the stage dancing and beaming as Muna worked the audience into an elated state. Each night they ended their set by inviting Phoebe onstage to join them for their single, “Silk Chiffon.” The audience seemed to have been waiting for this, and frontwoman Katie Gavin even joked, “I think you know what song this is.” The audience danced, sang, and screamed each word.

Phoebe had teased a secret special guest for the final night of her US tour at Forest Hills Stadium. Although rumors had spread regarding which artist would be featured, Lucy Dacus was announced as the guest on the day of the show. She and her full band came onstage after Muna’s set to play a packed setlist including top tracks, “Brando,” “Night Shift,” and “Hot & Heavy,” which was recently featured as a music video at Tribeca Film Festival.

Lucy shed some tears during her performance of “Thumbs,” a tragic and sorrowful song telling the story of observing a lover’s interaction with an estranged father. The song features difficult themes, and many in the audience wiped tears and sobbed as she played. The entire crowd screamed the lyric, “You don’t owe him shit” as the verse played. Lucy joked at the end of the song, “Wow, we’re crying already. It’s been a while since this has happened.” The crowd not only chuckled, but their cheers surged in loving support of Lucy. Phoebe observed Lucy’s set from the sidestage, smiling, crying, and laughing along with the audience.

Lucy invited Phoebe and Muna onstage with their bandmates for a singalong rendition of “Going Going Gone.” Throughout the song, Phoebe held onto and danced with her pug Maxine. Some fans held handmade signs made out just for Maxine, and several pointed and cheered specifically for the dog. Maxine certainly had her day in the spotlight.

Phoebe took the stage each night to immense applause. The instant her silhouette began to shine through the backlight, the crowd starting cheering and screaming in delight. Phoebe’s staging, lighting, and set-lists for each of the three nights featured pristine production and popup-storybook-themed visuals to match the story and progression of each track.

At a few points on the first and third nights, one or two crowd members experienced brief medical emergencies. Phoebe immediately paused the show, called for EMTs to assist, and waited until she got a thumbs up from those affected before continuing the show. She also paused several times each night between songs to instruct staff to pass out water bottles, asking, “Does anyone need water? Can we pass around a case of water for anyone who needs it?”

During her Forest Hills Stadium show Phoebe told the crowd, “this is officially the biggest show I’ve ever played.” Because this was the last show on her US tour, she thanked her crew from a printed list. She joked that the list was “arranged by astrological sign.” She went through each sign, occasionally joking about which signs were most common among her crew, and thanked every member of her crew by name, including her truck drivers, managers, techs, and her dog’s nanny.

She ended each night with an encore performance of a fan request. On the second night at Prospect Park, she ended the show with a solo acoustic rendition of Boygenius track, “Me and My Dog.”

At the Forest Hills Stadium show, Lucy joined Phoebe onstage to play “Graceland Too” and ”I Know the End.” During the latter song, Phoebe encouraged fans to “lose their voices” if they can, during the climax of the song. Phoebe, Lucy, and the entire stadium screamed at the top of their lungs to cap off Phoebe’s epic set. She thanked the crowd, Lucy, and Muna, and walked offstage to thunderous applause.

After a brief break, she came back onstage for her encore. Unaccompanied by her bandmates, Phoebe played a solo acoustic rendition of “Waiting Room.” She told the crowd, “I wrote this as a teenager. I used to think it was corny, but now I feel like it’s just sincere.” The crowd cheered and listened intently to what would be the final performance for Phoebe’s incredible US tour and three night run in New York.

Phoebe’s World tour is now underway, starting with dates in the UK and Europe. Her critically acclaimed full-length record, “Punisher,” celebrated two years since its release the following day of the Forest Hills show. You can listen to Phoebe Bridgers’ catalog here, as well as Lucy Dacus’s music here. Muna’s new album will be available to stream here upon its release on June 24, 2022. Check out our full gallery below.