Phoebe Bridgers makes surprise appearance in Huntington, WV

By Grace Koennecke, Editor-in-Chief

Photograph by Grace Koennecke

Huntington, West Virginia, is a place that most wouldn’t suspect an artist as major as Phoebe Bridgers to grace us with her presence. With a population of about 45,000 people, it’s a rarity to see any major artist willingly play in the limited number of venues around the area.

However, it seems like Bridgers has lately kept her eye on a vast array of small towns throughout Appalachia, the Midwest and the South, particularly those that have had a history of alleged unidentified flying object (UFO) sightings and extraterrestrial folklore.

Fans online began to speculate about this theme at the beginning of this month, when Bridgers’ pop-up tour stops began, with the first at The Liberty in Roswell, New Mexico. Since then, she’s performed in several towns and cities like Lubbock, Texas; Memphis, Tennessee; Mobile, Alabama; Lexington, Kentucky, and now, Huntington.

With these pop-up performances, there have also been moments of fans crossing the singer’s boundaries, causing controversy amongst her loyal following online. From allegedly following Bridgers’ tour bus and crew from stop to stop, to leaks as early as 24 hours about the location of the singer’s next show, it’s become clear that the behavior associated with this “tour” of sorts has caused tension within Bridgers’ fanbase. 

Drama aside, the concept of these pop-up shows are noteworthy, as the singer’s crew does not allow fans to bring in any recording devices, including phones, smart watches and cameras. Instead, you must put your phone in a Yondr pouch, a pouch that can only be opened by crew members before and after the show. 

If you’re lucky enough to get to the announced venue early, fans also receive wristbands ahead of time to secure their place in line for the show, making it less likely for crowds to become hostile when going into the venue. Additionally, the show is a seated event, meaning no typical pushing and shoving that comes with a general admission ticket.

While I had been following along with fans online as Bridgers began to spawn at the most random places throughout the last few weeks, I was shocked to find myself standing already amongst 50 other people in line at 7 a.m. at The Loud, a small music venue in Huntington, Saturday morning. As I waited in line, more and more people slowly trickled in, with some fans already dressed up and holding merchandise in hopes of getting a wristband.

I talked to several fans ahead of the show’s official announcement, with many telling me they heard about the Huntington show thanks to Reddit forums and TikTok theories.

“I was seeing Reddit threads about it, but I think the main way I’ve been hearing about it is there’s this account on TikTok, and he’s been posting these forecast maps of where she’s probably coming,” Haughey, who originally grew up in Huntington, said.

Haughey was referring to TikToker MHB, otherwise known as Mile High Brendan. The TikToker has become quite the rage on the app for predicting Bridgers’ next performances, with some fans lamenting him for “leaking” information about the stops while others have relied on him to earn a spot at the shows.

Meanwhile, other fans connected the dots based on the proximity of Bridgers’ pop-up show stops.

“Mostly speculation online and also the proximity of Lexington (Kentucky) and how close it was in comparison to her shows that she did, I think, in Alabama and Georgia,” Maddy Reyburn, another fan from the Huntington area, said. “We thought she’d come in this direction, and it was kind of just hopes and dreams.”

What I also noticed in line was how dedicated and loving Bridgers’ fanbase appeared to be, believing her surprise appearance in a town as small as Huntington proves her willingness to cater to fans who have less access to big concert venues.

Reyburn said Bridgers’ openness to performing in small towns and ability to cater to different audiences were one of the reasons she knew she had to try to attend this show.

“I love the fact that she’s coming to rural areas, even though she’s so big,” Reyburn said. “In Huntington, we don’t get many opportunities like this around us. Oftentimes, we have to go to Columbus or Cincinnati, or even Charleston. We’re really lucky that she decided to come here in such a small venue.”

Marlee Lucas, another fan from the Huntington area, said her introduction to Bridgers and her song “Funeral” off of her 2017 album, “Stranger in the Alps,” has led her to this moment. After hearing about the strict no-phone rule for the shows, she said this idea is one that she believes provides more intimacy between Bridgers and her fans. 

“Honestly, I’m kind of excited we don’t have our phones,” Lucas said. “I think the Yondr pouches are a great idea, especially for letting her fans hear the album early from her. I think it’s a love letter to her fans, and I love the idea of you never know what songs you’re going to get from her discography.”

This sentiment held true for other fans, especially those who have taken issue with post-COVID concert etiquette.

“This is a unique concert experience,” Bindi Staley, a fan from South Point, Ohio, said. “I don’t like newer concert culture where everyone’s just on their phones the whole time videoing it. You never really go back to those videos that much.”

Out of respect for Bridgers and her wonderful team, who have been putting these events on, I will not divulge too much into what happened once inside The Loud. Although it’s now common knowledge, based on several social media accounts following Bridgers’ stops, the singer has opted to perform new music as well as some of her classic hits.

Bridgers played many fan-favorites, such as “Motion Sickness,” “Kyoto,” “I Know The End” and “Scott Street.” She also played about four or five new unreleased songs, which I can tell you right now will emotionally destroy you. But, it wouldn’t be a true Phoebe Bridgers show without some catharsis!

As everyone filed out of The Loud, it was evident that her fans were grateful to even be in the same room as Bridgers.

“Genuinely one of the most fun and intimate experiences I’ve ever felt before in a concert setting,” Izzy Harbour, a fan in attendance, said. “Having someone that’s been such a great influence on my life being there and just singing, it was super special.”

The surprise performance was beautiful, and fans were extremely respectful of Bridgers and her team throughout the whole experience. Her vocals carried throughout the room in a way I hadn’t quite heard before at other concerts I’ve attended, and they alone commanded the space. 

I believe the show was a true testament to the singer’s discography and experience as a musician and performer. If you can manage to attend one of these shows, I will even go as far as saying fans are witnessing a historical moment in Bridgers’ career.

“Thank you for giving Huntington a chance!” was something I heard a fan say to Bridgers during the show, and now, looking back on this night, I will continue to be doing the same.