Alice Phoebe Lou delivers an intimate and inventive performance at Thalia Hall

CHICAGO, May 13th 2023

Cozied up between churches, art galleries, and local restaurants is Thalia Hall, one of Chicago’s well-loved music venues. Inside, a mural of tonight’s artist, Alice Phoebe Lou, is peering at the crowd as they make their way in from the breezy evening and excitedly hurry up through a short set of stairs leading up to the room where her show would take place. A pre-show playlist including tracks by Lomelda, Julia Jacklin, and Adrianne Lenker wandered throughout the space, venturing out from speakers and across the wide-open floor.

Elegant balcony seating made a half circle across the back, meeting the stage at stunning carvings that mirrored each other on either side. Eventually the cool colored haze of lights honed in on tonight’s opener, a local artist who introduced her project as “Fran”. She sang of fate, palm trees, and playing god in a short but sweet solo performance accompanied only by acoustic guitar playing and the occasional utilization of silence. The hall was buzzing brightly with anticipation by the time Alice Phoebe Lou came to the stage, kicking off the night with Dusk from her 2021 album Glow.

The lights did exactly that, coating her in oceanic hues all the way through. Other songs from the album made appearances too, creating an intergalactic dance party with accompanying alien-like sound effects and even a few solo serenades mid-setlist. The audience sang along loyally to old favorites and new releases including lead singles Shelter and Open My Door.

A new album is coming this summer, she promised, one in which these stunning takes on both love and independence will call home. Occasionally she would introduce a new song and make conversation with the crowd about recent writing experiences. Throughout the entirety of the show, she emphasized the wonder of the magical memories we were making together by listening intently.

Her personality shone through in Silly, the only track she performed from her most recent album Child’s Play. The playful energy carried through the rest of the show as she continued to be personable with the audience, communicating in howls and giggles. Witches and Dirty Mouth had everybody up and dancing, quickly becoming undeniable hits of the night and bringing the show to its inevitable end. “I hope to see you again soon in a beautiful place like this,” she said with a wave before taking her final leave.

Crowd members stuck in a dream-like trance made their way to the merch line or back into the city; her lyrics and melodies were still stuck in their heads, slipping out in the form of a hum or as the soundtrack for their drives home.

You can catch Alice Phoebe Lou on her last North American tour stop this Sunday May 21st, in Yellowpoint, Canada.