Clairo’s 2021 sophomore album Sling is an album of closeness, immediacy, and contemplation; it is turned inward, but the moments that burst out do so like snowfall, and even the warmest, brightest choices are dripped in a haze, like you just woke up and the sun is shining through the corner of your window.
So, hearing it performed live in the 6,000-capacity Radio City Music Hall on Thursday night (February 24th) is a little strange. The whimsy and intimacy of Sling almost suggests it should be performed in a cozy cabin somewhere in the woods, but Clairo’s remarkable rise to stardom has proven that the upgrade in venue size is deserved.
Considering that Clairo’s debut album Immunity came out only six months before the pandemic began, as well as the fact that her biggest single to date, “Sofia,” went viral in 2020, there were thousands of fans who had likely never seen Clairo before, though she had likely soundtracked their lockdown.
Though the venue was massive, Clairo and her band kept things as tight as ever, performing all 12 songs from Sling and several hits from Immunity throughout the night. The full-band energy was irresistible, and they really highlighted the adventurous and experimental spirit that characterizes some of Sling‘s best songs.
Each musician on stage, including Clairo (who oscillated between guitar and keyboards throughout the evening), found moments to slip into a wash of chords, solos, and sounds, bringing songs like “Zinneas,” “Joanie,” and Sling fan-favorite, “Amoeba,” to life.
clairo concert review
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Clairo, photo by Brandon Todd/MSG Entertainment
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Clairo, photo by Brandon Todd/MSG Entertainment
Clairo also invited along a saxophone player for this tour — which, I’m not kidding, can make or break a show (why do you need TWO saxophone players playing over each other, Jack Antonoff?) — and the rather unintentional nod to the sound of jazz fusion fit perfectly with Sling‘s coffeehouse energy and Radio City’s Art Deco digs. Not only that, it highlighted some of the busy, frenetic elements of Sling that are easy to lose in the mix.
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