Last Friday, I attended the opening night of Addison Grace’s “The Immaturing Tour,” with Kate Stephenson and Sydney Rose as the openers. The venue, Beat Kitchen, was just down the street from my office, so I was able to head there right after work. There was a small line forming outside the door, and I stood patiently behind a pair of teenagers waiting with their dad. The crowd was generally on the younger side, I think that I was one of the older people there that wasn’t accompanying their child. Upon entering the venue, I was met with tons of pride flags and a lot of airdropped memes. It was a welcoming environment, but definitely one that I would have enjoyed a bit more if I was a few years younger.
Kate Stephenson took the stage first, and played through an acoustic setlist featuring some of her greatest hits like “Second Option” and “Exless.” A Chicago Native, she explained how she used to record at a studio “just down the street.” Some of her friends were in the crowd, and it was a sweet moment when she realized. Stephenson interacted lots with the crowd, happily indulging their commentary and joining in on their jokes. Her set was soft and gentle, and a great way to kick off the night.
After a short set change, Sydney Rose took the stage. Opening with her ode to Phoebe Bridgers, appropriately titled “Phoebe Told Me”, she immediately enraptured the crowd with her gentle voice and energy. Explaining to the audience that this is her first tour, Rose was a bit nervous, but carried through her performance with grace and bravery. Switching between acoustic guitar and piano, she shared with the audience that she had just graduated high school, and was struggling with all of her friends moving to college. This transitioned into “Bedroom Floor”, a newly released track reflecting on her feelings about her best friend moving away. It was deeply vulnerable, and something that I’m sure many folks in the audience can relate to. I myself am about to move across the country in just a few weeks, so I found myself thinking about how tough it’s going to be to leave my family, friends and partner. The performance of this song was definitely a highlight of the evening, the lyrics definitely had the audience feeling emotional. Rose’s set, overall, was deeply emotional and vulnerable, and it was heightened knowing that this is her first tour. The extra context of knowing exactly how vulnerable she was onstage really allowed the audience to welcome her and engage with her music, which was beautiful to see.
The energy in the room was electric for headliner Addison Grace, and his performance matched the audience’s energy perfectly. Playing favorites like “Manic Pixie Dream Girl” and “Party Killer”, the fans were engaged every second. Addison also played a few unreleased songs, which was awesome. At one point adorning themself with pride flags, he made it clear that everyone was welcome and accepted at their show. I hadn’t heard much of his music prior to this performance, but I definitely left as a fan. The fans’ enthusiasm was contagious, and a few Addison Grace songs have snuck their way onto my monthly playlist.
Between the audience’s passion and the phenomenal performances, it was a great way to spend my Friday night. While I was one of few audience members without a black “X” drawn on my hand, I appreciated the safe and enjoyable environment that this show provided.
