Briston Maroney Captivates St. Louis on the Ultrapure Tour
st. louis, mo - october 8, 2024
Briston Maroney graced St. Louis on a perfect October evening to bring ULTRAPURE TOUR PART 2 to life. His music can only be described as a seamless blend of folk and rock, accompanying the increasingly autumn weather to a tee. The people of St. Louis filled The Hawthorn–some geared up from Maroney’s VIP experience, and others building with anticipation to see them for the first time. Annie DiRusso opened the show, providing a set that had people dancing in their spots, standing from their seats, and singing along. DiRusso and her band provided an infectious energy that poured into the crowd as they awaited Maroney’s presence.
The night opened with “Body,” a vibrant and upbeat track with personal, relatable lyricism–a strong way to start the evening. Through every song, the band was completely in tune with each other. The songs on the setlist go through topics of love, success, anxiety, and heartbreak–and Maroney and his musicians can seamlessly move through each moment. From belting out strong vocals to crazy guitar riffs to simply jumping around together on the stage, they amplified the energy of each song by a million. It only took a few songs for the audience to match the chemistry of the band, and by the time the setlist reached “Spring,” you could see how Maroney had created a space comfortable for everyone to celebrate each song how they pleased.
There are no words to describe the spirit and passion of fans in the crowd that evening. Not a single thing could distract them from the music–they placed every bit of attention on Maroney and showed them the appreciation they deserve. I have never seen a more engaged audience–singing the lyrics back to him, jumping at their spot on the barricade, waving their hands from the middle of the pit, and even recording their favorite snippets to watch back later. Between every song, there were claps and cheers. Maroney cherished these moments, acknowledging the “soft, sweet, St. Louis smiles” he saw in front of him.
Maroney introduced a new song, “Real Good Swimmer,” to the mix, and the audience resorted to silence for the first time that evening to soak in the lyrics, the melodies, and the pure fun of the song. It was quite a drastic change when the band immediately switched over to fan-favorite, “Freakin’ Out On The Interstate.” The voices of fans almost drowned out Maroney’s own, everyone taking their time to sink into this vulnerable song and let go for a few minutes.
A night of charm, pure artistry, and captivating energy, Maroney provided a show and atmosphere that takes you through his journey and allows you to relate your own. ULTRAPURE TOUR PART 2 was something that St. Louis needed, and without a doubt, the anticipation is already building for them to return.
