Summer may be over, but The Beaches are just getting started. On September 24th, the Canadian girl group rolled in to Boston for their latest stop on the “No Hard Feelings” tour.
Opener Debbii Dawson kicked off the show with beautiful simplicity, a refreshing view of a stage commandeered solely by an artist, a drummer, and a guitarist – no frills, just talent.
Playing hits like “Too Strange For The Circus,” Dawson had the crowd buzzing in anticipation for the night ahead. The folk-pop artist also accompanied Role Model during the North American leg of his sold out “No Place Like Tour” earlier this year, leaving fans wondering – when is the soon-to-be superstar getting her own headlining tour?
Once Debbii stepped off the stage, fans flurried around the arena to try and get one last drink, bathroom break, or signed drumstick (yes, they had those at the merch stand) before The Beaches began. I stayed put, unwilling to give up a seat that actually allowed me to see the stage clearly; at 4’11”, I’m not willing to take any chances.
The pre-show playlist provided entertainment in the intermission, with hits like “Since U Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson, “I Love It” by Icona Pop, and “Good Luck, Babe!” by Chappell Roan flooding through the speakers. When “The Final Countdown” came on, though, I knew I was dealing with some girls with a sense of humor. I mean, who else picks that to round out their pre-show playlist? The rest of the audience understood the assignment as well, taking their seats and flooding the floor as they eagerly awaited the band’s arrival.
Suddenly, the lights went out. And when they came back up? Madness.
The Beaches opened with their hit song, “Last Girls At The Party,” with lead vocalist Jordan Miller revving the crowd up for an unforgettable night. If a party anthem doesn’t start the night off right, I don’t know what will.
Song after song, the crowd roared. Playing tracks like “Did I Say Too Much,” “Edge Of The Earth,” and “Takes One To Know One,” The Beaches kept the energy going all night, with dummer Eliza Enman-McDaniel and lead guitarist Kylie Miller not missing a beat.
The most meaningful song, however, accompanied the silence of a stunned, sobbing crowd. Leandra Earl, bass guitarist for the group, gave an emotional speech about her struggles to come to terms with her sexuality, giving context for the group’s song “Lesbian Of The Year.” In a word, I was awed.
We constantly see artists with platforms forego any sense of reality and depth; the song’s a club banger, and we move on from it. They don’t discuss pressing issues or give us a glimpse into the everyday struggles of life. The Beaches, however, completely changed the narrative; Earl got real, her heartfelt emotion ringing through the crowd like an electric shock. “Let’s forget all the shame we grew up with!” she shouted in her speech, the arena filling up with phone flashlights in solidarity.
As tears were shed and the show began to come to a close, the crowd knew what was coming: the group’s biggest hit, “Blame Brett,” would be the final number. As soon as the first chord was struck, the arena absolutely lost it. The energy surged back in an instant, with fans screaming, dancing, and singing every word at the top of their lungs, giving everything they had until the very last beat.
When the lights came back on and the crowd poured out to call their Ubers or find their friends, the air buzzed with excitement. Faint chatter echoed through the night: “That was the best show I’ve ever been to!” and “Do you think they’ll come back next year?” — a chorus of awe and adrenaline that lingered long after the final note had faded.
Turns out, life’s a beach — and after a night with The Beaches, none of us are ready to go back to shore.
Featured Photo Credit: Meg Moon
