By Anna Dodd, Third Year English
The queue was out the door by 6pm; hundreds of teenagers donned in boots, ribbon bows, and cardigans, lined up to see Filipino British singer song writer, Beabadoobee, (or ‘Bea’ as she’s known to her steadfast fanbase) take to the stage of Bristol Beacon on Wednesday 20th November.
As one of the brightest new stars in the game with her raw lyricism, sugary-sweet voice, and dorky wit, Beabdoobee is utterly captivating. She is an artist of the internet age, building an earnest and devoted community of fans through social media platforms, now releasing music under the independent music label, Dirty Hit.
She hit Number 1 in the UK for the very first time this summer, with an album further from her bedroom pop roots than ever before, This is How Tomorrow Moves.
As she cascades more into the mainstream, opening in stadiums for pop princess Taylor Swift and finding greater commercial success with each release, the singer-songwriter still remains true to herself and her expanding artistic vision.
The night marked the penultimate show of her sold-out UK tour, and Bea, who has been on the road since September, showed no signs of burn out, exploding into life on stage.
Before Bea’s set came her openers Momma, a rising indie band from New York, with a short but sweet set of riffy and buzzy alt-rock inspired guitar. The simplicity of the set design with its draping curtains and studio-style floor lighting gave the show a timeless and nostalgic feel.
Bea was adorned by hanging vines, foliage and thoughtfully chosen projections that enclosed us in her musical canon; a cocoon of '90s rock, soothing melodies, and poetic sentimentality.
'California', a single from her recent release, served as the opening track of the night, followed by 'Talk' and '10:36', all three huge crowd pleasers with their breezy choruses and heady instrumentals.
Bea then took the time to address the sea of fans, expressing a warm gratitude for their presence and the general response to This is How Tomorrow Moves. Her genuine humility here was striking, for an artist whose music is so deeply personal, the loving reaction clearly meant a lot to her.
She cruised through the setlist with persistent confidence and ease, guitar slung over her shoulder, coolly singing into the mic, uplifted by the presence of her band. Her music translates to live concert exceptionally well; the kick drum and bass adding dramatic flair and depth to the songs.
The setlist was thoughtfully curated to include break-out tracks such as 'Coffee', a soft and achingly beautiful vignette of teen love that remains one of her most viral hits. There were some more personal aspects to the show too, notably her solo performance of a B-Side from the latest album, Girl Song.
Lights dimmed, Bea stood in the center of the stage with only a piano as a backing track, her arms wrapped around her back as she embraced vulnerability.
The simple, completely stripped back ballad touches on her struggles of self-image and insecurity, and such themes clearly resonated with the crowd looking on; it felt as though there was not a dry eye in the house, which was incredibly touching.
The night turned from melancholy to frustration, as Bea sung 'The Way Things Go', a post break-up banger preceded by the witty remark 'I hate wasting my breath on it.'
Her close relationship with her fans was evident as she expressed her excitement at being able to see her cats Miso and Kimchi again, who she frequently fawns over on social media, and this was met with cheers from the crowd.
She blushed as she discussed her boyfriend, who grew up near Bristol, admitting how much she misses home when she’s on the road. This led into the fast-paced and wistful song that encapsulates such feelings, 'Coming Home'; a testament to the touring artist’s experience, recalling the comfort she finds in the mundanity of household chores.
Before closing off the night, she again earnestly thanked us all for coming and assured us she would continue writing music in return for the graciousness we had shown her.
he night came to a dreamy and rosy end with 'See you Soon', a fan favourite off her sophomore album, a glittering metaphorical promise that she will soon be back.
Featured Image: Tommy DavisWhat do you think of This Is How Tommorow Moves?
