A trio dressed in identical white button-ups and sleek black ties electrified MGM Music Hall in Fenway as they took the stage on Tuesday night.
which came out March 31. The ‘fall tour’ is a continuation of the U.S. leg of their tour, simply called ‘the tour.’
Each member of the trio boasts a distinctive solo career, but they flourish together. Bridgers’ haunting indie-folk music earned her four Grammy nominations for her sophomore album, “Punisher.” Baker’s raw, cathartic ballads tell stories of self-doubt and heartache. Dacus’ three indie-rock albums are rich and nostalgic, lifting her to the forefront of the genre.
After boygenius’s self-titled debut EP — released on Oct. 26, 2018 — fans were unsure if the trio would reunite to create another album, but the band marked their return in January with the announcement of “the record,” along with three singles.
The show on Tuesday, boygenius’ second night at MGM, did not disappoint. Though the concert doors officially opened at 7:00
p.m., fans had been waiting outside the venue since 6:00 a.m. and were dressed to impress: Skeleton outfits paid homage to Bridgers’ solo career, blue paint-stained clothing honored boygenius’ song “True Blue” and white button-ups and black ties matched the trio’s stage outfits.
Though the crowd buzzed in anticipation of boygenius, the opening performance, alternative indie band Palehound, spurred excitement as well. Palehound captivated the scene immediately as its members joked with the crowd and played a mix of slow, heartfelt ballads and upbeat, electric anthems.
After Palehound’s exit, the venue rippled with energy at the opening notes of a familiar song: “The Boys Are Back in Town” by Thin Lizzy, which plays at every show before boygenius. “The boys,” as they are lovingly referred to by their growing fanbase, enter the stage. As the tune echoed through MGM, the upbeat buzz of conversation and laughter quickly turned to screams of ecstasy and hysteria.
At the song’s final notes, a live camera showed “the boys” backstage, harmonizing on the short opening track of their album, “Without You Without Them.” Dacus’ rich alto voice complemented Baker’s and Bridgers’ soft sopranos as they sang a capella to the audience, “I want to hear your story and be a part of it.”
After the sentimental ballad, the boys rushed to grab their guitars and plunged into one of their most popular songs, “$20.” This hit was one of the first singles released from “the record” and became an immediate fan-favorite. The audience held up $20 bills during the outro, screaming with the singers, “I know you have twenty dollars.”
Keeping up the thrill of “$20,” boygenius jumped into “Satanist,” a riveting rock song marked by Baker’s phenomenal guitar riffs. “Satanist” captivated the audience with flashing red lights and Bridgers and Dacus yelling into their microphones for the intense outro.
The trio then talked about their previous group and solo endeavors in Boston. Lovingly referring to each other as “the boys” and sharing memories from Boston, the band’s deep friendship was clear.
Continuing the sentimental vibe was “Emily I’m Sorry,” accompanied by Bridgers’ recollection of how this song brought boygenius back together.
A familiar guitar riff and blue spotlight marked the start of “True Blue,” another fan-favorite. Audience members swayed with their friends and sang along to the tune about friendship and loyalty.
boygenius followed with heartfelt songs “Cool About It” and “Souvenir.” During “Souvenir,” fans held up a sea of hundreds of pride flags, a coordinated project that caused the band to stop mid-song and ask the audience why they chose this track as the “gay” song.
Diverting from their collective work, each member performed a song from each of their solo careers: Bridgers played “Graceland Too,” Dacus sang “Please Stay” and Baker performed “Favor.” Hearing the other members sing backing vocals or chiming in on specific lines during each song was beautiful and unique.
Afterward, the band performed a mix of songs from their first EP and recent album. Bridgers introduced fan-favorite “Me & My Dog” by asking audience members to hold up a photo of their dog during “that one specific line.”
To close the show, the trio played “Not Strong Enough,” an upbeat song that left the audience jumping up and down as the band ran off the stage.
They returned for an encore with “Salt In The Wound,” a guttural song about being taken advantage of in a relationship. However, the boys managed to turn the intense number into a thrilling experience that fans will remember most from the night.
As Baker performed the ending guitar solo, Bridgers and Dacus jumped into the audience and crowd-surfed. The audience screamed, determined to hold them up for as long as possible, and successfully carried the two around the pit and back to the stage.
Overall a thrilling experience that fostered a safe space for all its attendees, the boygenius concert left every attendee singing and laughing as they exited the venue, treasuring the unreal experience.
