bôa Bathes Brooklyn Steel in Blue
brooklyn, new york
The internet, as we’ve learned by now, acts as a scathing double-edged sword: we’ve witnessed social media breed insane parasociality in fan culture, change concert etiquette for the worse, and permanently alter the way records are rolled out. But the internet’s intensity can also be an amplifier, a tool used to grant older bands a second wave or give groups unheard a chance in the sun.
Consider: The Sundays finally released “Life Goes On” after it blew up with self-proclaimed “thought daughters” everywhere; Sixpence None the Richer went on reunion tour after 20 years thanks to “Kiss Me”’s second wave on TikTok; and now, bôa is back in full force.
In recent years, a sped up version of “Duvet,” off of bôa’s debut album Twilight, made the rounds on TikTok — so much so that they released it as a single. The praise propelled the band back into the limelight, prompting them to put out their first new music in 19 years and hit the road this summer. In early August, bôa lit up Brooklyn Steel with their eclectic and singular sound.
Brooklyn responded with cultish fervor; fans clad in blacks and greys sporting smokey eyes and spiky buns lined up for as long as seven hours to get a good spot. The set was a satisfying mix of old and new, featuring songs from all three bôa eras.
The highlight of the night was undoubtedly “Walk With Me” — a moody, grungier-sounding love song with lyrics that are beautiful in their simplicity. “Share this space and walk with me,” singer Jasmine Rodgers crooned, “Come and keep me company.” There’s a kind of innocence in their plainness, a gentle acknowledgement that love makes itself known in the easiest of places, and nurses itself not in grander gestures but the more domestic moments. No matter how old we get, love makes us feel young again — at our core, we really just want someone to share space with. With Rodgers’ captivating vocals adding onto the song’s pensive guitar and sparkling drums, “Walk With Me” evoked the beautiful haziness of a dream.
What surprised me, though, was how elegantly charming the band was; Rodger’s bright falsetto in song turned to suave, accented coolness in speech. “Thank you all for being here,” she quipped in between tracks. “We wouldn’t be here without you, and I’m not just saying that because I’ve unplugged my [guitar].”
bôa’s unique and psychedelic music, in combination with the band’s dry British humor, made for a show that was intimate yet surreal, a moment you’re anticipatorily nostalgic for.
sweet93 opening for boâ.
sweet93 opening for boâ.
