Gig: Beabadoobee @ Bristol Beacon
Beabadoobee by Ross Peacey
Indie pop starlet Beabadoobee took over Bristol Beacon on a cold November weeknight, dazzling fans on the last leg of her This Is How Tomorrow Moves tour.
Beatrice Laus, known as Beabadoobee has maintained an impressive rise over the last few years. From her early bedroom pop fame, Beabadoobee has surpassed her initial TikTok virality and become a fully-fledged indie pop star, ushered in by her explosive number-one album This Is How Tomorrow Moves.
This is not a typical gig for the Bristol Beacon. The concert hall and arts venue hosts everything from comedy to classical music. However, on this occasion, the racked seating has been cleared away, and the 2000-person capacity Beacon Hall is flooded with an excited younger crowd. Although this crowd is largely teenage girls, Beabadoobee has certainly found fans from all walks of life due to the range of styles and alt-rock that inspire both the lyricism and production of her music.
Momma
The evening is set into motion by Brooklyn-based support band Momma who step up with an impressive set that warms up the eager crowd. Their grunge-tinged indie rock sound and confident performance strike the right chord, perfectly aligning with the nostalgic yet fresh atmosphere of the night. The band’s dynamic energy and tight musicianship draw enthusiastic applause, building anticipation for the main act.
Beabadoobee
Before Beabadoobe takes to the stage a black curtain drops to screams, revealing floor-to-ceiling white drapes and a bare stage decorated with discarded paint cans, a stepladder, and a single plant. This is a blank canvas for Laus, a symbol of her transforming style and progression as an artist, ushering in a perhaps more mature, grungier, rockier era.
Laus enters accompanied by her longtime band, album co-producer Jacob Bugden on guitar, drummer Luca Caruso, and Eliana Sewell on bass. The set kicks off with high energy. Following the newer hit “California”, “Talk” and “10:36” from 2022’s Beatopia are the perfect trio of 90s alt-rock nostalgia. The crowd jumps and screams as Laus gives a quick “wassup Bristol” before launching into “Charlie Brown” from 2020’s Fake It Flowers.
Laus switches up guitars often, only occasionally stepping out with only a microphone in hand to interact more with her adoring fans. Transitions between songs are quick, with small respites devoted to light changes and uneasy soundscapes. Beabadoobee packs in as much music as she can while pushing a cohesive and narrative arc for the show. Throughout, dizzying projections take us from city to ocean, ocean to city, and finally, city to countryside during which the drapes drop to reveal a great wall of climbing greenery.
While much of the set comes from her third album, Laus is not afraid to dive into her older discography. Big angry breakup tracks are dispersed with softer acoustic songs. A special shout-out to the catchy “One Time” which featured a spellbinding guitar solo from Bugden. Laus is left alone onstage for original breakout hit “Coffee” and sings through slower numbers in her discography. Laus’s vocals are both vulnerable and compelling as well as brilliantly consistent in quality. She matches it with her vulnerability on stage as she thanks the crowd for accepting this new record and how much it means to her.
As Laus is rejoined by her band and the pace picks up again, Laus’s soft vocals are just able to match the moody mayhem of “Together”, battling the frankly excellent acoustics of the Bristol Beacon. This is the last leg of a couple weeks of UK touring, which culminates at London’s Alexandra Palace just one night later so Laus cannot be blamed for wanting to reserve some energy. Laus acknowledges her tired voice but closes out the set with power and grace, in masterful tracks “She Plays Bass” and “Cologne”.
Beabadoobee returns for an acoustic encore to help wind down the crowd. “Coming Home”, “The Way Things Go” and “See You Soon” provide the perfect ending to a well-rounded set list to send the elated crowd on their way.
Altogether, a Beabadoobee gig is a pleasant affair. Laus’s captivating vocals may be the initial attraction, but her stagecraft and presence seem to be growing. Following the success of this sold-out tour, one has the sense that Beabadoobee's creative boundaries are only growing broader.
