At First Avenue on Monday, ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” poured through the speakers. The anticipation in the audience dissipated as the crowd broke out into song and dance.
Maggie Rogers, the night’s headliner, ran onto the stage wearing an orange and white ensemble, competing with some of the outfits in the crowd.
The mainroom quickly turned into an intimate dance party with a room full of strangers. Rogers’ excitement and obvious love for her music made it extremely easy to feed off of her energy.
The singer got right to it, opening with “Give A Little,” a single from her upcoming album “Heard It In A Past Life.” The stage was bathed in orange hues as Rogers jumped, kicked and grooved.
She segued into the next song, telling the crowd that she’d decided to play the entire upcoming album during the show. The audience erupted.
Continuing with another single, “Split Stones,” the intensity that kicked off the show remained. “Is anybody out there in love right now?,” Rogers asked the crowd. They screamed in response.
Bright yellow lights enveloped Rogers and a cheery tune trickled from the speakers. “Burning” sounded like a celebration of love and joy.
Rogers ran across the stage. Her hair fell out of the bun she originally had it in, and her in-ear monitor flew out of her back pocket. Her dancing did not falter one bit.
“Burning” turned into “Better,” and Rogers appeared in disbelief the entire time. Taking in the crowd, her eyes were as wide as her smile.
Processing the artist’s presence, audience members appeared just as lively.
Another new track, “Say It,” came next, with its jazzy tones adding a newfound suaveness to Rogers’ performance. The stage and crowd basked in vibrant colors, from passionate reds to calming blues.
Rogers embraced eye contact as her vulnerability shined through. She held each stare for a few seconds, which magnified the connection already shared with fans.
After a few more songs, Rogers told a short story about the last two years of her life and what they meant to her.
“Every night I would get on stage and feel completely at home,” she said.
“Light On” was accompanied by blues, pinks and power. The sincerity in her voice was backed up by an audience-made choir.
The vulnerability did not disappear as Rogers explained the meaning behind her song “Back In My Body.” She wanted a song that was spiritual and representative of feeling present in her own skin. The cathartic experience of “Fallingwater” came next, bringing with it a sense of freedom for everyone in the room.
Rogers left the stage only to return without her band for “Color Song.” She eventually abandoned her microphone and sang straight to the crowd — no music, no special effects.
She ended the concert with the song that launched her success, “Alaska.” There’s no doubt Rogers has performed the song countless times, but it looked as if she will never tire of it.
Rogers put on a show that invited you into the inner workings of her mind. Both the visual and auditory aspects pulled fans in with wonder and amazement. With energy both inspiring and humbling, Rogers knows how to throw one hell of a dance party.
Grade: A
