PHOEBE BRIDGERS
Phoebe Bridgers, Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA 9/28/2026
In a day and age when you see a sea of phones at most shows, it was refreshing to be at a no-cellphone concert and see everyone fully engaged and present in the moment.
As the lo-fi beats came to an end and everyone settled into their seats, Philly native Alex G came running out onto the side stage to “Here Come the Sixers,” which instantly got the Philly faithful on their feet and clapping. From there, they launched into a huge instrumental riff that led into “Gretel,” a 2019 song from his House of Sugar album. They followed it with “Southern Sky,” performing the song in a thick red haze of smoke.
By the third song, they already had the entire audience dancing. Down on the floor, couples were spinning each other around, completely lost in the music. The first time Alex addressed the crowd, he simply said, “Thank you, we love you, Philadelphia,” which brought another huge cheer.
During “Blessing,” Alex came down into the audience, and it was especially cool to watch the crowd experience the moment without everyone immediately reaching for their phones. When he later said, “We love this city,” the arena erupted into Eagles chants. Alex responded with, “Who’s excited for LeBron James?” sending the fans into another frenzy.
They closed their set with “Sarah,” getting the entire crowd singing and dancing along before leaving the stage with a final, “Go Birds.”
In between sets, it was hard not to stare at the main stage and wonder what Phoebe Bridgers had in store. A giant dome made up of multiple panels dominated the stage, along with the Lost Weekend theme, giving the impression that the show was going to have a heavy visual and space-inspired element.
As the stage prepared for the show to begin, the audience broke out into a wave. Then, suddenly, a comet-like ball dropped from the ceiling near the B stage, flashing lights as the massive dome began to rise and reveal the band.
They opened with my all-time favorite, “Motion Sickness,” a massive hit that had the entire arena singing at the top of its lungs. When the song ended, Phoebe yelled, “What’s up, Philly?” and acknowledged the fans dressed in her signature skeleton costumes.
During “Kill Me,” visuals were projected onto the curtains rather than a traditional screen, continuing to give the production a more intimate feel despite the enormous size of the arena. By the fourth song, the dome had completely rotated sideways, and Phoebe herself began appearing as a projection across its surface.
One thing that immediately stood out was just how loud the crowd was. Everyone seemed to know every word to every song, making it one of the most engaged audiences I have ever seen. It was amazing to watch how genuinely people were enjoying every moment without the distraction of their phones.
When the first portion of the set came to a close, the dome descended back over the band. Phoebe then reappeared from a tunnel and ran out onto the B stage, where she sat down at a small piano to perform “Lost Weekend” solo.
During the song, the comet returned from the ceiling and put on one of the most impressive visual displays I have ever seen. It is one of those moments that is almost impossible to describe and even harder to do justice to with words.
The band then joined Phoebe on the B stage for “Funeral,” and throughout the arena, people held up their lighters, creating a sea of tiny lights. During “Haunted,” the energy shifted again as everyone danced. Near the stage, two girls swung each other around, completely immersed in the music and enjoying every second.
Phoebe then asked the crowd who else had a controversial father before following up by asking whose father had passed away. She spoke about the shared experience of loss and explained how she once thought artists deserved to have their stories told, but as she grew older, she realized that everyone deserves their own documentary.
She then performed “Still Standing,” a lyrical masterpiece about her relationship with her father. During the quieter moments of the song, you could hear people sniffling throughout the arena as much of the audience was visibly moved to tears.
Phoebe then turned to face the other side of the crowd and performed “As Above,” accompanied by sparkling lights spraying high above the stage.
Afterward, she left the B stage and traveled through the audience, giving out handshakes and high fives as she made her way back toward the main stage. The dome reopened, and the band picked up the pace with “Bobby,” a song about her relationship with comedian Bo Burnham.
She then brought Alex G and his band back onto the stage to perform the second part of “Bobby,” before thanking them and saying that she had always wanted to do that.
The crowd got another fun surprise when they played “Waiting Room,” which was unexpected because other cities had not received the song on their setlists. She later brought out her brother, Jackson, to sing the male part of “I Can’t Wait,” and the Philly crowd erupted when he appeared.
Another major highlight was “Kyoto.” As one of her biggest hits, you could see just how much it meant to people to finally experience the song live. The entire arena seemed to explode with energy.
Phoebe closed the main set with “I Know the End,” but the crowd wasn't ready to let the night end. Their energy brought her back out to the B stage, where she performed “Lost Weekend” before transitioning into “Scott Street.” She then allowed the band to play her off the stage with “Never Going Back.”
It was an incredible show and one that people are going to be talking about for a long time. Between the no-cellphone policy, the intimate moments with the audience, the emotional storytelling, and an absolutely massive visual production, Phoebe Bridgers created an experience that felt completely unique.
In an arena filled with thousands of people, somehow the night still felt incredibly personal.
Written by Jonah van Bemmelen
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY TOUR (WES ELLIS)
