Clairo at Eventim Apollo: 13/03/2025
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Highlights: Echo, Steeeam and Bags
Claire Cottrill, or better known as Clairo to her fans, is a singer-songwriter who has developed significantly since her days as a teenager making lo-fi pop tunes from her bedroom. Although her career exploded from the jump with the single Pretty Girl, Clairo has eased into the music scene, steadily searching for her own sound amidst the social media fame bubble that was concocted for her. She has now cozied into a modern pop take on psychedelic rock and jazz, especially considering her latest Grammy nominated record, Charm. If there was any thought that Clairo was timid or unsure of herself, The Charm Tour proved to the world that the singer is proud of her entire catalogue and confident to artistically perform her work no matter the venue. She has come a long way from her roots in Georgia, USA, but she made the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith her home on the 13th and 14th of March, 2025.
Not long after opener June McDoom’s short serenade, the singer glided on stage, following her bandmates with a mysterious bottle of red wine and five glasses. They laughed and chatted amongst each other, and although phones popped into the air to record their every move, the band acted as though it was just another day at the studio. After a couple of sips, the wine was abandoned and each performer giddily pranced towards their instruments of choice. The easygoing beats of Nomad followed, and despite the song’s sombre qualities, the floor of the Eventim Apollo shook to its core and fans danced crazily as though they were at a Black Sabbath concert rather than experiencing a display of smooth acoustics and classical instrumentation. Second Nature and Thank You followed suit with similar groovy notes, but Clairo quickly transitioned from Charm moments to highlights of her earlier work. Flaming Hot Cheetos is one of Clairo’s most well-loved songs, and its studio version is bubbly and bright. When performing it live, however, the tune transformed into a more mature and sultry version and blended excellently with the Charm style of production.
Clairo and her band continued with a slew of softer cuts from all three of her records. From the folksy, vintage charm of Bambi, North, Slow Dance and Partridge to sensual eclectic jazz in Terrapin, Glory of the Snow and Add Up My Love, the singer had fans harmonising with her, making for a comforting and dreamy soundscape. The mellow lull was broken with Echo, however, which is one of Clairo’s most experimental songs– in the studio, the song is a fusion of acoustics and psychedelic inclusions reminiscent of Jefferson Airplane or the Zombies. This live rendition of Echo showcased each individual aspect of the track as multi-instrumentalist Hailey Niswanger masterfully played the haunting flute section and percussionist Eddie Burns set the eerie tone. Clairo’s vocals were just above a whisper as though she was sharing secrets, and the hum of the flute matched her tone perfectly.
The relaxed nature of the set came to an end, however, as Clairo performed some of her biggest hits. Although the audience was dialed in from the very start, as soon as the first notes of 4EVER were played, the crowd was electrified. Amoeba was performed in a similar fashion, and where the band was nonchalant and casual prior, they fed off fans’ newfound energy. The scene was already at a ten, but excitement was through the roof when Clairo teased a special surprise: for the first time ever, she performed Steeeam, a 2020 single she released under the one-off, illusive band Shelly. Because she had never performed the song live, it was evident that her voice has grown immensely and this live version took a more mature and sophisticated turn. While Clairo and her band performed with the same level of suave as before, the crowd screamed in disbelief, their phones shooting up into their air to savour the iconic moment. Clairo proved herself to be a musical genius– to continue the momentum, she immediately played Bags, and the famous guitar introduction caused the venue to roar in further excitement.
To round out the set, Clairo performed a few other fan favorites. Although Sexy to Someone and Juna returned to calmer jazz, the high energy remained. The crowd was almost louder than the band, and it was obvious they had no desire for the night to end. The beloved single Sofia finalised the show, but certainly did not help put attendees at ease– after Clairo and her band gracefully left the stage, folks stayed glued in their spots, chatting amongst each other with high praises of the performance. Overall, a Clairo show is effortlessly cool, musically intricate and impossibly hard to forget.
