It Was “Too Easy” For Brigitte Calls Me Baby To Sell Out In Phoenix
by jen
The crowd fills every square inch of the Valley Bar in Phoenix, everyone waiting in anticipation to see Brigitte Calls Me Baby. This much anticipated show on their Irreversible tour brought dedicated fans from all over Arizona, some even across state lines. The show in Los Angeles instantly sold out which tempted a lot of people to make the six hour drive.
Brigitte Calls Me Baby consists of Wes Leavins (vocalist), Jeremy Benshish (drummer), Devin Wessels (bassist), and Jack Fluegel (guitarist). This alt-rock band from Chicago previously opened for Morrissey, Fontaines DC, Saint Motel, The Last Dinner Party, and Muse. They released their sophomore album Irreversible this year and are finishing up the US leg of their tour now. They have a few festivals coming up later this year, including Austin City Limits in October.
Eager fans cheer as the door to the dressing room opens and Brigitte Calls Me Baby takes the stage. The band starts their set with “Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction”, an upbeat track that got everyone in the room bouncing around, excited for what the night may bring.
Each Brigitte Calls Me Baby song is so unique yet so cohesive. No matter the decade the song was inspired by, the listener is instantly transported to that era in time. It is such a talent to be able to pull that off so seemingly effortlessly. As someone who isn’t the biggest fan of music pre 90s, it is incredibly enjoyable to appreciate the older influences in modern day music.
All of their songs are incredibly catchy and it makes it impossible to not sing along or at least dance to the infectious beats. Fan favorite “Slumber Party” was especially fun to observe as everyone was on their feet and jamming to this 80s inspired bop.
The band played a good mix of songs off of Irresistible, The Future Is Our Way Out (their first album), and a cover of “Is This It” by The Strokes. “We Were Never Alive,”
“Palm of Your Hand,” ”Impressingly Average,” and “I Can Take The Sun Out of the Sky” were the songs that got the biggest (and loudest) reactions from the audience.
The sense of community was so strong among fans of all ages. A devoted fan who goes to at least five Brigitte Calls Me Baby shows a year, helped new fans get setlists. This small act of kindness illustrated what makes live music so special.
Community and inclusion also existed on a band to fan level. Wes asked why a very small portion of fans were separated off to the left of the venue. It was explained that the sectioned off area was for fans under 21 and Wes said “I wish you weren’t divided”. The whole band also got as close as possible to the crowd, constantly engaging and making fans feel seen. After the show, they stayed by the merch booth and talked to every fan, even though it took over an hour to greet the entire line.
Before the encore, Wes explains that they were locked out of their dressing room and they started taking fan requests. This resulted in the band playing a few more songs than initially planned. Their very passionate fans much appreciated the bonus time they got to spend with the band they traveled hours to see.
Brigitte Calls Me Baby performs “Eddie My Love” as their final song. Wes’ powerful voice fills the Valley Bar as he belts out every word as he takes it back to the 1950s with this crooner.
It was such a fun night and the crowd would unanimously agree. We are all looking forward to the next Brigitte Calls Me Baby show and any future music releases. It is bittersweet to know this will probably be the last time they play small venues. Brigitte Calls Me Baby’s continued success is inevitable.
Setlist:
Truth is Stranger Than Fiction
Pink Palace
I Wanna Die In The Suburbs
These Acts of Which We’re Designed
Too Easy
There Always
Palm of Your Hand
Fine Dining
The Pit
Is This It ? (The Strokes cover)
I Can Take The Sun Out of the Sky
We Were Never Alive
Slumber Party
Impressively Average
I Danced With Another Love in My Dream
The Future Is Our Way Out
Eddie My Love
BRIGITTE CALLS ME BABY
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