Photo Credit: Joe Saturday
Last Thursday, I was lucky enough to catch Maggie Rogers perform at Brooklyn Steel in New York City. I was actually on a bus heading into the city and got tickets last minute to this sold out show. It was also the artist’s last show of the entire tour, and second show at that venue, so it was bound to be special.
I arrived at the venue a little after 8:30pm and unfortunately missed the show’s opener, Tor Miller, who is actually a friend of Maggie’s and a former NYU student. If you haven’t heard of him before, I definitely recommend checking out “Always.”
This was my first time at Brooklyn Steel, a new venue that opened this past April. I was impressed with the amount of space it provided. The venue reached a maximum capacity of 1,800 and every location provided a great view of the stage without being squished by fellow concert goers. I definitely hope to come here again!
Maggie came on stage donning a bright red jumpsuit complete with silver fringe. She was captivating as she performed on stage, fully engaging the audience. Maggie opened the show with “Color Song.” She stood gracefully on stage, the entire crowd enamored and watching peacefully as synthetic crickets chirped in the background. All we could hear was a single voice. It was the perfect way to start the show–she definitely grabbed our attention.
Once the song ended, Maggie greeted the crowd and assured us that this show would not allow “sexism, racism, transphobia, homophobia, or xenophobia.” This show was intended to be a “safe space,” and Maggie proclaimed a massive understatement – “it’s been a week.” This show is what everyone needed. Just 90 minutes of joy and music.
I can honestly say I’ve never seen a more dedicated crowd. After “On + Off,” one of the three early-release tracks from Now That The Light Is Fading, the crowd clapped and cheered for several minutes while Maggie and her band stood in awe and Maggie even shed a few tears and expressed how grateful she was to be there.
The show ended with “Alaska,” and followed by an encore (and cover) of Cheryl Crow’s “If It Makes You Happy,” which she performed with another close friend, Sharon Van Etten. “Alaska” was a clear fan favorite. I’m sure no one imagined that this song which was once a demo shown to Pharrell during an NYU workshop would propel Maggie to where she is now. We’re all excited to see what else she has in store.
Filed under: Reviews Tagged: brooklyn steel, maggie rogers, now that the light is fading, show review
