An Intimate Look Into Clairo’s Charming Five-Day Residency at NYC’s Webster Hall
new york, new york - september 18th, 2024
Clairo sips her wine before the band plays their first song
Clairo’s eagerly awaited Webster Hall takeover began on September 14th and has come to its bittersweet end on the 19th. All five nights were completely sold out, filling up the balcony and main floor, some people even spilled from the doors. Merch lines were long and winded through the venue as excited fans filed in. With soft lights, a studio-like setup, and a bottle of wine, Clairo welcomes the sold-out venue to an intimate performance, turning Webster Hall into her living room, and the crowd into her guests.
New York based band, Frankie Cosmos, opened up the night with hits like “Sappho” and “Fool”. Their lighthearted presence and onstage banter helped fill the room with excitement as they got concertgoers dancing before Clairo’s set. After an exciting opener, fans got to watch Clairo’s stage come to life as the production team put together a studio-like set for her and her band to perform on. Green carpeted platforms, furniture, and an array of instruments decorated the stage, putting the crowd right into the recording booth with Clairo and her band. The lights are dimly lit as they walked out, talking amongst each other, glasses and a bottle of wine in hand. The band takes a seat on the stage and shares the bottle of wine, whispering and laughing to themselves for the first minute of the set. As the main stage light begins to brighten overhead, they acknowledge the eager crowd, assume their positions and spring into song.
The inviting stage light grows large and warm and Clairo starts off the night with “Nomad”. She has a setlist made up of many new songs from her recent release Charm, but balanced out with older hits like “Flaming Hot Cheetos” and “4EVER”. She melts seamlessly into each song, the band intently following her every move. The music is calculated and soft with every instrument fulfilling its purpose, from the smooth saxophone to the twinkling keys of the piano. Clairo teases the crowd occasionally, insisting that they can’t possibly be as “crazy” as the crowd the day before, but then remarks that she feels them “bubbling up”. The atmosphere she created in the room was warm and inspiring. A pair of girls could be spotted hugging each other tightly and swaying as she sang “Slow Dance”.
Clairo banters with the crowd charmingly, and when she speaks there is an initial silence that falls as her fans listen, followed by bellowing responses from excitable individuals in the audience. She exclaims that she has a treat for them because they have been so fun, and her band begins to play the intro to “Bags” as the crowd becomes the loudest it has been yet. She finishes off her set with “Sexy to Someone” and her newest hit, “Juna”, which had an exciting music video release just a month prior.
With a gorgeous, well-thought-out stage design, a talented live band, and a voice made of honey, Clairo is not an artist who should be overlooked. Now that her Residency at Webster Hall has come to an end, she is sharing her magic with the rest of the US, hitting the road with Alice Pheobe Lou for her 2024 Charm Tour. Don’t miss this charming performance in a city near you.
