I first discovered Beabadoobee when I watched “Her” by Spike Jonze in 2020, for which her cover version of Karen O’s “The Moon Song” was on the soundtrack. I was immediately intrigued by her alluring and subtle voice, and she quickly became one of my go-to artists for daydreaming throughout my teenage years. She is a 22-year-old indie rock artist from the Philippines who grew up in London. She started making music at the age of 17 and gained popularity with her bedroom pop hit “Coffee,” which has over 122 million streams on Spotify. In addition to her solo work, Beabadoobee is a member of the band Fake Dad. She came to Marathon Music Works on April 25, 2023 on her “Beatopia” tour with opener Joe P, and I knew that I had to go.
Although I was unfamiliar with Joe P, he quickly stole the show and was clearly a natural entertainer, reminding me of a young Alex Turner. He ran onto the stage with an electric guitar and immediately captured the crowd’s attention with songs like “Baby Teeth” and “Leaves.”
Joe P left me eager to check out his EP “Emily Can’t Sing” after the concert. He jammed out with the audience to the electric and high energy of “All Day I Dream About” before getting the crowd to sing along to the chorus of “Color TV,” chanting the line “I’m upstairs in your room.” He ended the night by introducing his band and singing the beginning of “You Are My Sunshine,” merging it with his breakout hit “Off My Mind.” His minimal stage set with just one bass and one drummer was just as effective as any elaborate production I’ve seen.
After a long wait, Beabadoobee graced the stage in a vintage pink top and jeans. She kicked off the night with “10:36,” one of the hit songs from her latest album “Beatopia.” She had the whole crowd singing along and carried this high energy into her songs “Care” and “Worth It.” From heartbreak anthems to lighthearted jokes, she had us jumping, crying and laughing the whole evening. When Beabadoobee sang “Perfect Pair” — my personal favorite from the album — the entire audience joined in, singing along to the relatable lyrics about heartbreak. Then, she switched gears and rocked out to “She Plays Bass” with her bassist Eliana Sewell. Beabadoobee played several different guitars throughout the night. The crowd easily shifted from feeling like sad teenagers to Y2K, dancing and jumping to the beat. It was a perfect representation of Beabadoobee’s versatility and ability to connect with her audience through her music.
During the encore, Beabadoobee discussed her experience of opening for Taylor Swift’s “The Eras” tour.
“At big stadiums, I just can’t see individual faces in the sea of people. Everything is just a blur. But here, I can see every single one of your beautiful faces,” Beabadoobee said.
Her vulnerability and passion for her craft shone through on stage, and it was truly inspiring to see.
To top off the night, Nashville’s very own celebrity pug, Doug the Pug, joined Beabadoobee for a surprise appearance during “The Glue Song,” which Beabadoobee wrote for her boyfriend Jake Erland. I’ve been obsessed with a third version of “The Glue Song” released last week featuring Clairo, with whom she went on tour in 2019.
The concert was an unforgettable night filled with music that made it feel like I was part of a coming-of-age movie. Joe P’s performance was the best opener I have ever seen, and his stage presence left a lasting impression. As for Beabadoobee, she delivered a powerful and emotional performance that showcased her unique style. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for her.
