Indie singer Clairo returned to the Frost Amphitheater at Stanford University on Sunday, Oct. 6. This time, she brought her own Charm.
The show is one of 25 stops on her current Charm tour, named after her third and latest album “Charm,” which was released on July 12. The singer played this venue last summer, supporting indie music group Boygenius.
Inside the gates of the amphitheater were tons of young adults and teenagers waiting in long merch and food lines, or meeting with friends.
Some sported merch from previous Clairo tours and album releases, while others took this opportunity to showcase their own styles and have fun such as someone who wore a Hot Cheetos bag costume, in reference to one of Clairo’s more popular songs, “Flamin Hot Cheetos.”
While singer Alice Phoebe Lou opened with her 30 minute set, playing songs like “Witches” and “Open my Door,” seats and space on the lawn quickly filled up.
Finally, Clairo appeared on-stage. But before diving into the setlist, the singer sat in a cozy circle with bandmates and had a shot of whiskey, teasing the crowd but also setting the tone for a relaxed evening.
Once their glasses were empty, she stood underneath a huge but soft spotlight with shimmery curtains as the backdrop, she was ready to put on a show. She began with “Nomad,” a slower song which pulled the scene together.
In an almost hour-long show, she performed songs from her Charm album as well as some older, popular ones such as “Bags,” which proved to hold up as fans loudly sang along.
So despite the amphitheater having a capacity of approximately 8,000 people, Clairo was able to recreate the kind of intimacy one would feel when listening to the perfected recorded tracks, through the outdoor venue, stage design, the set list and Clairo’s overall charm.
Occasionally she giggled over being cheered on, complimented the crowd for being fun and even joked with the crowd at times.
“Okay Stanford. It is officially rowdy time. You’ve waited long enough,” she said before performing “Amoeba.” “I need you to go absolutely fucking batshit for this song. I need it so bad.”
Though Clairo songs are not the kind one can really mosh to, there was still lots of movement in the crowd, with very few people sitting down.
Attendees stood and swayed along to the sounds of flutes, pianos, drums and more throughout the night, especially during faster songs like “Add up my Love.”
Saving the best and most beloved for last, was the performance of her song “Juna” which had gone viral on TikTok since its release. A sea of cellphones formed as everyone tried to get a recording.
Long time fan of Clairo, Esteban Rivera, said it was definitely one of his most anticipated songs of the night.
“I was looking for concerts to go to and I found out about this one. And I was like ‘oh, that’s sick’ because I love her new album,” Rivera said. “I just thought it was going to be the best experience ever.”
In attendance with his friend Kai Jashepsi, the two hoped to snag merch, specifically the pink tote bag, and have a good time.
Some fans drove in from other cities to attend the show such as sisters Elise and Liana Easa from Vacaville, California who happened to be celebrating Elise’s birthday.
The two are frequent concertgoers who have seen artists such as Conan Gray, Billie Eilish and Wallows, all of which fall into the same music realm as Clairo.
“It’s just always a good experience and like, a fun night out to listen to live music,” Liana said.
Clairo’s last show in California was on Monday, Oct. 7 in Santa Barbara, then she is off to tour through the states with her final stop being in Atlanta in November.
With that, it’s safe to say fans were left charmed by Clairo’s Charm Tour.