By Jacob Pellegrino
Beabadoobee has a sound that can range from indie pop to shoegazy alternative rock. This contrast makes for a great dynamism in performance that keeps the audience engaged throughout the show.
I got to the venue after the opener, shortly before Beabadoobee performed to see a packed house. I’d only previously been to White Oak’s outdoor venue before the show, but this show took place in the indoor part of the venue, which contained both a lower level, close to the stage and a raised upper level. I was on the lower level and slowly moved forward through the crowded room to find a good viewing spot.
It was a very different crowd than I am used to, filled with excited high schoolers who videoed the majority of the songs throughout the night. While this had some downsides with visibility, and comfort in general, it was nice to see such an engaged crowd that sang along with every word for a number of tracks throughout the night.
One of the highlights of the show was Beabadoobee’s guitarist, who excelled at a range of styles and really stole the show at times.Additionally, Bea’s vocals were impressive to see live, varying between confessional bedroom-pop and angsty alt-rock.
Her setlist, culled from her discography with an emphasis on her most recent album, included many of my favorite tracks of hers, such as “The Perfect Pair” and “Charlie Brown,” along with many others that I had forgotten about or not heard for a while.
Overall, it was a great show that proved that she will be a good opener for Taylor Swift’s upcoming tour and provided a great balance of acoustic and electric music to escape to.