Hot summer days are best complemented by a cool drink and a pair of sunglasses, a gentle breeze and sxome smooth Clairo to dissipate the heat. Luckily for Stanford fans, Clairo provided exactly this last Sunday at Frost Amphitheater — an evening of jazz-tinged bedroom pop and a refreshing change of pace followed the bustle of the start of a new academic year.
Entrance lines stretched down the block past Bing Concert Hall as fans outfitted in preppy button-downs and trailing cottage core skirts clamored to get into the venue. Audience members walked through the tunnel to a packed amphitheater, donning “Charm” t-shirts and clutching newly purchased vinyls and posters. They filled Frost from the front of the standing area to the top of the grass stairs.
Opening the show was South African singer Alice Phoebe Lou, a soft voice and child at heart. Lou performed various selections from her albums “Shelter” and “Glow,” sounding like a sweet summer Lo-Fi girl on vinyl. Her set closed out with her single “Witches,” a nod towards the upcoming Halloween season.
With a shimmering sequined white curtain and cream colored stage blocks, Frost transformed itself into the haven of a cozy lamplit living room. Clairo and the band strolled in and sat in a semicircle with glasses of what Clairo would later reveal to be “whiskey and unsweetened tea,” laughing and chatting among themselves before raising their glasses to the crowd.
Taking their places, the group began with “Nomad,” the first track of her touring album, “Charm,” released in July. The artist’s third album lulled the crowd into a soft stupor, inviting folks to sway gently in time with the artist herself. Sweet like honey and easy on the eyes, Clairo delicately popped her hips to her own songs, dancing in small motions in a loose black and white striped minidress and strappy red heels.
Giggling, Clairo admitted, “we’re all a little loopy to be honest — that’s why I’m trying to hype you guys up. I’m up there!” She whooped, bringing smiles of innocence to the faces of her fans.
As she continued with songs from her most recent album, my personal favorite “Echo” stood out. The strains of a Brazilian-style guitar conjured the image of a balmy Rio beachside sunset.
Clairo’s tender voice and soft golden halo around her frame revealed themselves to be the perfect blend of the rich warmth of summer and the cinnamon spice fragrance of an oncoming autumn. I know I’ll be listening to this album throughout the season going forward.
Throughout the concert, Clairo seemed to echo the audience’s enthusiasm, telling them that she loved the Frost crowd more than any other she’d performed for: “you guys are fun.”
Finding kindred spirits in the Stanford crowd, Clairo decided to play a cover of one of her favorite songs, David Byrne’s “Everyone’s in Love With You.” Throughout the song, a nighttime forest-like projection appeared on the screen behind her, evoking a campfire setting, the scent of pine trees and the experience of music in the moonlight.
Toward the end of the show, Clairo harkened back to her beginnings as an artist with some of the shy bedroom pop ballads that brought her to fame. Despite the mellowness of her 2021 hit “Amoeba,” she encouraged the crowd to get “rowdy,” a task they happily accepted.
Closing with “Bags” (a unanimous favorite), “Sexy to Someone” (throwing in a little last-minute spice) and “Juna” (the most popular track from the album), Clairo skipped off stage with a glass in her hand. Similarly energized, the audience filtered out of the amphitheater, satisfied with another simple concert on Clairo’s tour of grace, elegance and ample “Charm.”
Editor’s Note: This article is a review and includes subjective thoughts, opinions and critiques.
