Review | Boygenius captivates audience at Stage AE
Pamela Smith | Contributing Editor
Phoebe Bridgers of Boygenius sings onstage at Stage AE Tuesday night.
June 22, 2023
Whether through hair flips, humor, or long-held harmonies, indie rock group Boygenius knows how to capture and entertain an audience.
The trio consisting of Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker performed at Stage AE Tuesday night as part of their North American tour following the release of their first full album, “The Record.” The group was preceded by singer-songwriter Claud, with loud audience cheers for both Claud’s harmonica and a stage crew member flashing the crowd a heart sign.
Bridgers, Dacus and Baker formed Boygenius in 2018 with the release of an EP of the same name. Boygenius’ setlist consisted of a mix of tracks from their full album, their five-year-old EP and a few from the individual singers’ solo albums.
Don’t be fooled by their fiery, heavy-metal-esque merch. Boygenius’ music has been called “sad girl rock,” with many lyrics describing romantic anguish and longing, their sound emo-folk with airy harmonies.
The audience of several hundred people did not seem to take their eyes off of the group once, swaying in time with sad, serene songs such as “Revolution 0” in one moment, screaming the lyrics of the more upbeat “Not Strong Enough” in the next. The barrier was not enough to keep some fans from throwing pride flags and letters onto the stage. Others further back held on to each other and danced, the crowd pulsing with the summer breeze and stage lights.
The group punctuated songs with easy humor, reflecting the chemistry they carried onstage. From Bridgers joking that Baker forgets lyrics, to rolling and dancing around the stage, to back and forth on the topic of kissing — something that Bridgers and Dacus did later in the show — there was never a dull moment for the trio.
Boygenius combines the talent of its members seamlessly. With leading vocals split evenly on their 12-track album, each artist had the chance to shine. Baker started off strong with “Satanist” early into the set, while Dacus shone in “We’re in Love.” The crowd cheered as Bridgers’ “Graceland Too” began to play, a song off of her Grammy-nominated album “Punisher.”
Boygenius’ nearest upcoming show will be in Columbus, Ohio, on June 23.
