Claire Cotrill’s intimate and repressed vocals sound as if she’s quietly singing along to her favorite song in the car. Her songwriting is unique in the sense that it’s deeply personal to her; however, someone who listens to her can automatically relate to her story. The people who felt the most connection to her and her music conglomerated at the Austin venue Emo’s on Oct. 22 to empathize with Clairo’s vulnerable lyrics and finally hear the physical manifestation of her critically acclaimed debut album “Immunity,” released this past August.

Story by Miles Eackles

While doors were scheduled to open at 7 PM, Clairo did not come on until 9. This was due to the two openers that she brought along with her. The first opener, Hello Yello, was a three man group whose music can best be described as indie rock with a punk edge. While not many people knew who they were, they increased the energy of the crowd. The intensity of the audience was due, in part, by the rudimentary, yet bombastic drummer. While Clairo’s music can easily be played in an upscale lounge, the music of Hello Yello would fit in perfectly at a co-op house show.

The second opener was British singer-songwriter beabodoobee, nee Bea Kristi, whose debut EP “Space Cadet” was released last week. Playing her most popular songs such as “I Wish I Was Stephen Malkums” and “Are You Sure” proved that the crowd didn’t just come for Clairo’s performance, but were highly familiar with beabodoobe as well. Fans were captivated by her sweet and saccharine vocals. Towards the end of her set, she put on a cowboy hat to show that she knows a little about Texas culture.

As soon as beabodoobee left the stage, the audience was pumped for Clairo’s arrival. The set crew began to set up and the excitement could not be contained. While the stage didn’t have anything too extravagant, it was balanced by a huge half circle that displayed idiosyncratic graphics such as a worm making its way through dirt and an interstellar view of the earth.

All of a sudden, the lights went dim and the beginning piano chords of “Alewife” started. The anticipation was contagious and the crowd couldn’t keep it in anymore. Cotrill came out and the audience went ballistic. The somber mood and morose lyrics of “Alewife” had many people tearing up super early in her set. After “Alewife” came the jazzy “Impossible” which everyone in the crowd knew the lyrics to. Clairo swayed on the stage as if her and the audience had been lifelong friends.

Outbursts of “I love you” and “You’re so beautiful” escaped the mouths of many audience members to which Clairo couldn’t help but smile at. She revealed to the audience that she was “a little drunk.” This could have been inferred from the black cherry White Claw that she was sipping on throughout her performance.
Perhaps her most energetic song “Sofia” turned the venue into an impromptu dance club. People were shuffling and making up moves that paralleled with the electric guitars and drums of the song. Her most popular single “Bags” was performed in the middle of her set and she told the audience to “put their phones away and just experience.” The energy felt throughout was communal as she sang the first single from her “Immunity” album.

The last song she performed with her touring band was “I Wouldn’t Ask You”, a heartbreaking ballad that details the hardships of her juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Before she started, she thanked the audience for listening and understanding her music. The first half of the song was defenseless, but the second half of the song was as if she broke through the insecurities of her condition.

She left the stage, but it was not the last that the audience would see of her. She came out about 5 minutes later and sang her well-known hits “4Ever” and “Pretty Girl”. She ended the show with her Mura Masa collaboration “I Don’t Think I Can Do This Again.” A huge pit opened up in the sea of concertgoers and as soon as the chorus hit, people started to mosh to the driving guitars and pounding drums. The release that was let out from the congregation was needed due to the show being in the middle of a school week.

As people left the venue, friends who just discovered that they were both at the show reunited as others were scrambling for water due to the intensity of the mosh pit. The night ended well, and it was all thanks to the cyclical energy that Clairo and the audience gave to each other.