february 22 — CONCERTS & EVENTS

Live in Atlanta, it’s Maggie Rogers with support from Del Water Gap! The 28-year-old praised singer-songwriter is unleashing her Feral Joy tour for two back-to-back nights at the Eastern. A Maryland-native, Rogers began her career after her song “Alaska” played for multi-Grammy Award winner Pharrell Williams during a class at New York University. Since then, Rogers has claimed her rightful place as a coveted icon in the industry. With songs like, “Dog Years,” “Light On,” and “Want Want,” Rogers is giving fans what they want with a night of feral joy.

The show begins with Rogers’ band filing on stage as recorded opener of the singer plays through the venue. Fans are roaring as the notes to “Overdrive” begin. The first track off Rogers’ latest studio album, Surrender, Maggie Rogers fans are having their cake and eating it too. The music icon is wearing a football jersey-inspired dress with knee-high boots as she floats across the stage. The show is buzzing as “Want Want,” another fan favorite from her latest body of work, entices everyone to put their hands in the air. “Hello, Atlanta,” Rogers greets her second sold out show. An ear-splitting roar shakes the room, as everyone graciously welcomes Rogers.

Rogers highlights some important moments of the show already. Her bass player’s parents were in attendance, whilst they just celebrated her guitarists’ birthday, too. She closes, “There’s just a lot of things to be grateful for,” before playing her next track. A hidden gem from her debut studio album, “Say It,” pulses through the room note by note. With performances of “Love You for a Long Time,” “Shatter,” and “Be Cool,” Rogers is giving her fanbase moments to live off for a lifetime.

Rogers surprised fans with a performance of “New Song” with Del Water Gap. The 6-minute track featured on her compilation album, Notes from the Archive: Recordings 2011–2016, the two artists reminded us of what a stellar collaboration looks like. With an alternative/indie performance of the night, each minute of “New Song” rings out across the audience.

“I was walking through icy streams that took my breath away,” Rogers sings out to a deafening silent room. Not soon after, the Eastern is singing along at full volume, causing the songwriter to erupt into a fit of laughter. After regaining her composure, she begins again: “I was walking through icy streams that took my breath away.” Rogers sings the first verse of her one of most popular tracks, causing fits of hysteria and outbursts of joy. “Alaska” begins to weave through the venue, as people are throwing their heads back and singing to the sky.

The moment is over too soon, and before anyone can catch their breath, “Give a Little” chimes out across its crowd. Fans of Rogers’ Heard It in a Past Life are in for a treat with performances from her first studio album. The Heard It in a Past Life train doesn’t stop there as Rogers sings: “Would you believe me now?” “Light On,” courses around each person at the Eastern, and acts as a gentle reminder to us all. “That’s Where I Am” Fans are screaming “Encore, encore!” when the show ends, and the lights come on. The chant pulsates through the venue as Rogers’ band fills the stage once more. The infamous opener to “Fallingwater” whips through the Eastern as Rogers sings out each word. Rogers’ encore ends with a performance of “Different Kind of World,” notably the last track on Surrender.

The Feral Joy tour is one for the books, making it one of Rogers’ best tours to date. Rogers’ tour ends March 5th in San Francisco, CA. If you can get your hands on tickets, we recommend attending one of the best tours of the year. You can find Maggie Rogers on Instagram (@MaggieRogers) to stay up to date on the Feral Joy tour, new music, and much more!

Words by Kaylee Pickens

Photos by Chandler Bunzol