Phoebe Bridgers at Ball Arena
GETTING INSIDE
I treated myself to a half pint of Jack Daniels as I crossed Auraria Parkway dodging cars, scooters, bikes and fellow concertgoers while heading toward Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado to see Phoebe Bridgers: The Lost Tour.
Although entering the show required navigating three layers of Ball Arena staff, the process was smooth and easy.
Since the concert would be a phone-free experience, the first layer of staff scanned your digital ticket and printed out a small ticket with your seating information.
The next step was grabbing a Yondr pouch to lock your phone inside. The final step before entering the Lost Tour was a standard arena metal detector.
Nobody seemed to have anything metal on them or perhaps the metal detectors weren't turned on because people were flying through the lines.
Phoebe Bridgers' set didn't start until 9 p.m., so I had plenty of time to find an overpriced beer or three and roam around.
You go up an escalator to enter the lower concourse at Ball Arena. I exited the escalator into a sea of humans in all directions. The opener was already playing but it appeared that all 20,000+ attendees were in line to buy something. I don't think I've ever seen merch lines this long.
MERCH
I pushed through the chaos until I couldn't see any more merch tables. I narrowly avoided stepping into an enormous pool of vomit before purchasing a $17 canned beer.
A team of guys with mops was handling the mess behind me, and then I headed back toward the crowd to check out the merch.
I passed several Dippin' Dots kiosks. I've never seen so many people eating Dippin' Dots. There were more people with mops everywhere I looked.
Based on the length of the merch lines, I think they could have charged double the listed prices for everything they sold. There were plenty of options available. They sold the following:
6 - Different short sleeve T-shirt Options (3-shirts glow in the dark) $50
1 - Long sleeve t-shirt $90
2 - Different hoodies $90
1 - Beanie $40
1 - Low profile baseball cap $45
1 - Writing journal $40
2 - Different cloth bags with handles $30
As well as CDs, vinyl, cassettes, concert posters and stickers.
Considering the crazy merch lines I was surprised by how few people were wearing the t-shirts and hoodies they had just purchased.
I was going to buy a t-shirt but the line was just too much. So, I again escaped the crowds and circled the lower concourse. About halfway around the arena, I avoided a second, enormous pool of vomit.
UPPER CONCOURSE
I couldn't find any clocks in Ball Arena and hardly anyone was wearing a watch. Since everyone's phones were locked up nobody on the concourse knew what time it was.
I was pretty confident that I still had about an hour until Phoebe's set so I headed up the second escalator to the upper concourse.
Before getting onto the escalator I let another crew with mops pass in front of me. I got onto the escalator behind a friendly Ball Arena usher. She was probably in her mid-60's. I noticed her watch and asked her for the time.
She let me know that it was 8:05 then she gave me a high-five and said, "I love your t-shirt, where can I get one?"
As I exited the escalator onto the nose bleed level, an usher with the funniest and stringiest mullet stopped me and said, "You'll need to either purchase a t-shirt or go immediately to the men's room to turn your shirt inside out since it's so profane."
I nodded as I downed the rest of my $29 canned beer. I did not turn my shirt inside out and I did not stand in the merch line. I did, however, walk until I found another beer vendor with no line. I needed another $37 canned beer.
The upper concourse appears to be the wild west. Twice as many staff members were mopping up there.
I saw an enormous man exiting one of those nursing pods for new moms, like the ones you see in airports. He had to duck and squeeze out of the pod sideways. Are there toilets in those nursing pods?
Both upper-level Dippin' Dots stations had "Sold Out" signs on them. Phoebe Bridgers fans absolutely devoured the ice cream of the future.
A seating ledge runs around the perimeter of each concourse. On the upper level I saw 3-girls and 1-guy scattered on different sections of the ledge each of them crying. I assume these people were upset about not getting any Dippin' Dots.
A photo booth on the upper concourse had an extremely long line. I stopped and watched people striking wild and aggressive poses. Finally, a person with a watch. She let me know that it was 8:35. It was time to find my seat.
The math on the upper concourse shifted and now all I see are concertgoers wearing the t-shirts and hoodies that they just purchased.
What the hell is happening on the upper concourse.
When I completed the full upper loop, I assumed Stringy-Mullet would be manning the escalator area where I needed to go back down. My assumption was correct.
I got on the down escalator and immediately made eye contact with Stringy-Mullet. He gave me the "fingers-to-eyes and then fingers-to-me" move letting me know that he saw my "profane" t-shirt was still exposed. I maintained eye contact with Stringy while I downed my $62 canned beer and he got on his security radio for backup.
Another team with mops was working hard as I exited the escalator.
THE SHOW
Photograph by Matt Grubbs
My seat was excellent. Eight rows up from the floor provided great sight lines. The main stage on the floor is covered by an enormous dome, like a giant cake cover resembling an igloo.
As show time approached it was funny to look down to the floor and see so many people eating slices of pizza, hot dogs, pumpkin curry and of course Dippin' Dots. I assume numerous staffers on the floor were armed with mops.
The show opened with The Outside. The igloo half dome began to slowly rise, revealing Phoebe and her 9-piece band.
Phoebe Bridgers couldn't have looked cooler or more confident. She wore a short sleeved, form fitting, little black dress that extended just to her upper thighs with shiny black shoes and thin black socks.
A second, more intimate stage sits on the opposite end of the arena floor. The people with floor tickets were separated into two sections by a barrier at the half-court line.
An enormous Death Star like sphere hung directly above the smaller stage, providing stunning lighting to the main stage as well as straight down onto the second stage. It was absolutely beautiful.
Behind the main stage is a giant curtain that Phoebe Bridgers is projected onto during the entire set. The curtain appeared to be flowing but it might just be the $57 canned beers.
Photograph by Wes Ellis
THE FIRST SET
The show was split into two sets plus an encore. The first set of songs was played entirely on the main stage. These were the first set's songs:
The Outside
Motion Sickness
Kill Me
The Governor's Waltz
Lost Boys
DVD Menu
Garden Song
Moon Song
Liberty Tree
During "Garden Song," I happened to look up at the giant projection on the curtain for a close-up of Phoebe's smiling face as she sang the line "and when I grow up, I'm gonna look up, from my phone and see my life".
The smile seemed like a clear nod to the joy of filling an arena with people who aren't staring at their phones.
As "Liberty Tree" finished the first set, the igloo dome lowered and the band disappeared.
THE SECOND SET
The second set opened on the smaller second stage before shifting back to the main stage. These were the second set's songs:
Panorama
Lost Weekend
Funeral
Graceland Too
Haunted
Still Standing
As Above
Bobby
On Video
Waiting Room
I Can't Wait (with Jackson Bridgers)
Would You Rather (with Jackson Bridgers)
Kyoto
I Know The End
Between "I Can't Wait" and "Would You Rather," Phoebe got everyone in Ball Arena to sing "Happy Birthday" to Jackson.
Photograph by Wes Ellis
THE ENCORE
The encore opened with Phoebe sitting alone on the floor of the smaller stage with a drum machine playing "Lost Weekend (Reprise)". She'd made an outfit change and was wearing a short white dress with white shoes and makeup that all glowed under the black lights.
The second song of the encore was "Scott Street." It started with just Phoebe and her guitar on the small stage and then the igloo dome was raised one more time to reveal the full band on the main stage joining in on "Scott Street."
After "Scott Street," Phoebe exited the small stage into the darkness while the band ended the night playing "Never Going Back!".
ON THE TRAIN
A short walk from Ball Arena into the heart of downtown Denver led me to Union Station where I'd catch a late night train west.
The train was filled with fans in their freshly purchased Phoebe Bridgers t-shirts and hoodies. Couples were holding hands. Couples were making out. Couples were groping each other and clearly ready to be home.
I was lost in thought daydreaming about driving to Salt Lake City to try to catch another show on The Lost Tour.
I never reached for or thought about my phone once during the show. I only cried twice. I'll never forget this show.