It’s not abnormal these days to rise to stardom with a single video or TikTok. To then maintain that attention, however, is a more daunting task. On Nov. 7, Claire Cotrill, better known as Clairo, proved her successful artistic craftsmanship at her sold–out show at Union Transfer.
The Immunity North American tour began in late September and follows the artist’s biggest project, titled Immunity. The debut album was released this past August and saw critical praise for its warmth and portrayal of confused, teenager–like love, all wrapped up in sophisticated production. When it came to translating these themes onstage, she did not disappoint.
Openers Hello Yello and beabadoobee both showcased their musical prowess with a handful of songs off their latest projects. Overall, they each gave upbeat, drum–heavy performances to get the crowd–comprised of mainly teenage girls brandishing cell phones–excited for what was to come. beabadobee, however, did not play “Coffee,” one of the band’s most popular songs, which several members of the crowd were chanting to hear. When crew members brought out the drum set branded with Clairo’s name, though, any disappointment was replaced with anticipation for the main act.
What soon followed the equipment was the somber introduction to “Alewife,” the album’s opener about dark times in Cotrill's early teenage years. The artist herself was bathed in a single spotlight when she emerged on stage. The audience whispered along with the lyrics until the track concluded and “Impossible” began, prompting an immediate uproar and pastel–colored lights all over the venue.
As the concert progressed, there was not a single song that wasn’t heightened from its studio version. “I wrote this when I was in Philly,” Cotrill claimed, before beginning a unique rendition of “Sis,” one of her oldest tracks that originated from her Soundcloud several years ago. The wall behind her projected a slow montage of driving through an empty suburb, fostering the sense of nostalgia evoked by the song.
The entire setlist itself blended together almost every song the artist has released up to date, bouncing back and forth between the album and singles dropped over the months. One of the best moments, however, arrived when Cotrill announced she would be playing an unreleased track she wrote on tour in Oregon. The rest of the band departed from the stage and a blue light bathed over the stage as she began a simple guitar ballad. As she sang quietly, the entire room remained in a trance throughout the duration of the concert, until “Pretty Girl,” the track which skyrocketed the singer to fame, began. The infamous Youtube video played in the background, and an older Cotrill hopped around on–stage.
The concert was in its entirety, a sticky–sweet experience, taking the main threads of Clairo as an artistic entity and capitalizing on them rather than on flashy lights or heavy remixes. It captured an atmosphere colored by the naivety of teenage love, long nights staying up talking, and moving out of your childhood bedroom. When the lights finally came on and the crowd started to leave, it was clear there was something left to linger for the rest of the night.
