SHOW REVIEW: Clairo @ The Fonda

Clairo

Surviving Five Nights at the Clairo Residency

Clairo charmed Los Angeles audiences during her five-night residency at the Fonda Theatre, where she showcased her third studio album, Charm. Her soft, radiant voice made audiences want to dance, act frivolous, and take off their clothes while fans experienced the brutal LA heat wave lining up along Hollywood Boulevard before the shows.

A week before the residency, Clairo surprised fans by announcing that the alternative rap duo Paris Texas would be opening for her despite their contrasting musical styles. I attended two nights of the residency, where Paris Texas energized the crowd with tracks like "Lana Del Rey," which surprisingly resonated with Clairo’s coquette-dressed fans. At the end of their set, the duo led the audience in a unified chant of “Thank you, Clairo,” before exiting the stage.

As the curtains rose, Clairo and her band took to a green-carpeted, three-tiered stage designed by Imogene Strauss, evoking the vibe of a 70s recording studio. This set design added a mature and elevated atmosphere, distinct from Clairo’s previous tours. Each night, she set the tone by pouring wine for her bandmates before launching into her set.

Clairo started with the opening track, "Nomad," performing under a glowing, moon-shaped light that beautifully complemented her voice. The decision to open her tour with this song seemed perfect as she performed the track while it was still unreleased on her last tour claiming she “never knew when this song would be released”.  

She followed with upbeat tracks from her latest album, like "Second Nature" and "Slow Dance." The band's wind instruments and synths created a hypnotic ambiance, drawing me in and compelling me to record their performance instead.

The concert seamlessly blended polished studio sound with the raw energy of live performance, with fan reactions interjecting between song transitions. Highlights included fresh renditions of Clairo’s earliest works, such as "Flaming Hot Cheetos" and a stripped-down version of "How," which she performed live for the first time in six years.

Slower tracks like "Bambi" and "Partridge," from her previous album, provided intimate moments where the audience stayed respectfully quiet, allowing Clairo's vocals to shine, accompanied only by her guitar.

In the final quarter of the show, Clairo delivered a five-song run that spanned her entire discography, including a reimagined version of "4ever" and the danceable "Amoeba." The reworked "4ever" felt like a completely new song, with the synths played in lower chords, giving the existential track a more melancholy feel. Fans were especially vocal during this song, with Clairo pointing the mic to the crowd as we all screamed, "Is it ever gonna change? / Am I gonna feel this way forever? / Are you gonna be around for me to count on, yeah?"

Before the next song, Clairo took a moment to tune her guitar and engage in playful banter with the crowd. After fans repeatedly "meowed" at her, she humorously responded, “For your meows, I give you bags,” before strumming her guitar. The audience, especially the teenagers in their Dr. Martens, sang along passionately to the angsty lyrics.

The night concluded with a strong performance of "Juna," leaving fans satisfied even without an encore. Clairo ended the show with a lively mouth trumpet performance, demonstrating her growth as an artist. She seamlessly blended old and new material, while maintaining the playful and tender essence that defines her music.

-DJ Jorgo AKA Jorge Ontiveros