Getting Lost With Phoebe Bridgers on the Opening Night of the Lost Tour
Two things.
1. There’s no way to discuss this show without spoilers.
2. There’s no way I can rein in my hyperbolic praise of this show.
Phoebe Bridgers kicked off her first arena headlining tour, also her first tour sans appendix, last night at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. This is a phone-free, camera-free tour at the artist’s request, meaning there are no photos, no videos, no recordings, no evidence that the show even happened outside the music still bouncing around inside the heads and the smiles that won’t disappear from the faces of people who were there. And we were there.
If you like to go into these events clean, please read no further than this paragraph. Without spoilers and hyperbole, I can confidently say the concert was absolutely incredible. Phoebe and her band were tight and on fire. Her voice was incredible. This is a full-production arena tour. It was a barnstormer of an indie rock show. Starting in the paragraph below, we’ll go into some specifics of the show. If you DO NOT WANT THAT, PLEASE CLICK AWAY. Got it?
Ok. Let’s get lost.
Phoebe Lucille Bridgers is my favorite female singer/songwriter. No, I am decidedly not her target audience, but I do appreciate great music; indie rock is my favorite genre, and I grew up listening to and loving female artists from the 90s that definitely influenced Phoebe. I am also a big Elliott Smith fan-probably her biggest influence. I’ve seen her live in smaller venues and festivals both solo and with her supergroup boygneius. While I lament the end of the boygenius era, watching Phoebe, Lucy, and Julien step out of the massive success of that band into much larger eras in their own solo careers makes me happy. Phoebe has been on this trajectory from go-there was little doubt from the first opening chord of Motion Sickness that she would be a superstar. After tonight, I wouldn’t be surprised if she makes the leap to stadiums in the coming years.
Walking into a camera- and phone-free show in 2026 is interesting-disorienting even. I could feel my phone buzzing in its Yonder pouch sarcophagus in my pocket, and I couldn’t stop looking at my Apple Watch, which wasn’t there (smartwatches were also among the list of banned items). Phoebe intentionally plays into that disorientation with two stages and an opening light show that had people swiveling between looking at the main stage and the b stage (Above and Below areas IFKYK). Eventually, Phoebe and her band emerged from underneath a planetarium on the main stage, opening with (spoilers ahead- seriously, no going back) Motion Sickness, her biggest and most recognizable tune from her debut album, Stranger in the Alps.
Phoebe and her 9-piece band were all smiles and nervous energy as the song began, an adorable nervousness that eventually gave way to confidence by the third song. The setlist could not have been more perfect, a good mix of songs from all three albums, the aforementioned Stranger in the Alps, Punisher, and Lost Weekend. Phoebe changes guitars rather than outfits, opting for a classy, plain black short dress for the entire show. Her guitar tech is definitely getting a workout and was as high-energy as the band. The songs were woven together, moving seamlessly from high-energy songs like Kyoto and Lost Boys to quiet, solemn numbers like Funeral and show highlight As Above from her newest record. She also moved seamlessly between stages giving everyone in the audience an opportunity to get a good view and a good perspective on these songs and her performances.
Her indie rock roots were clearly on display on Graceland Too, Georgia, and Scott Street, but she also had fun leaning into the almost country twang of Haunted and Bobby, both from Lost Weekend.
The crowd, mostly women aged 25ish, a few scattered dads like me who just love great music, and plenty of families, moms and dads taking their daughters to their first show, knew almost every word and screamed along with the diminutive Phoebe, who glistened like an angel, or perhaps an alien, certainly something more than human the entire show-outside a few very appropriately quiet moments.
Of course, the audience understood the assignment, never missing a “woo,” a count in, or a scream-and scream she did! Her signature move, the unhinged scream from the depths of her soul, was on display, and every person in the audience screamed back, creating cathartic moments of community.
This is sad girl music maxxing, but the vibes were impeccable, and there were smiles for miles around the arena the entire time. There are PLENTY of opportunities to wear your heart on your sleeve and weep openly as Phoebe sings about her dad, past relationships, and big existential questions, of course.
This is a full arena production-huge band featuring members of the touring boygenius band, smoke, lights, props, a big screen, and so much more. Not anticipating fumbling with my phone when my favorite songs came on was liberating, but I am a bit sad to not have any permanent way to look back on the show via photos and videos, but it created an almost intimate setting for just letting the music wash over you. People were talking with one another, laughing, crying, dancing, and trying to catch their breath.
Phoebe Bridgers is a singular talent, a once-in-a-generation artist who has cornered the market on cool indie rock for sad girls and dad rockers. It creates an open and accepting community where everyone is welcome and where it’s ok to cry. She consistently surrounds herself with competent, talented musicians who understand her vision and help her deliver on it in every song, transition, and moment. Despite being opening night, there did not appear to be many technical difficulties; the sound mix was on point most of the evening, with just a few moments when the instruments became a bit muddled in the mix, tiny issues that will likely be ironed out in later shows. The Lost Tour is a perfect tour for this moment: a great setlist, talented musicians, cathartic moments, and lots of laughing, dancing, and community.
