Phoebe Bridgers went from an indie darling playing smaller venues with modest crowds to a household name with four Grammy nominations over the course of the pandemic. The June 2020 release of her hit album Punisher was somehow for Bridgers fortuitous lockdown timing. While everyone was pushing back releases, just hoping that an album would get some attention last summer, Bridgers' angsty, edgy, melodic melancholy struck a chord with audiences.
Her nonchalant vibe eschews the forced gendered glamour that many female stars must endure. She smashes guitars on live TV and wears skeleton dresses to fancy award shows... what's not to love? She told Variety last year in a Zoom interview wearing a baseball cap that it was weird having a rise to major fame from the confines of an LA apartment with no tour on the books. “It would all be more tangible if a tour was happening," she said. "I would gradually be playing bigger venues, maybe getting more opportunities to go to lunch with someone cool, and see more fans and more tattoos of my lyrics." Bridgers will finally be getting that chance with her just-announced tour (and first since November 2019) supporting Punisher. Within minutes of the announcement, the tour was sold out.
John Mulaney also found himself having a nuanced pandemic season. Last year he made headlines for hosting SNL and doing a brief stint as a writer on Late Night with Seth Meyers. Then there were some personal issues and rumors about his dating life, but he announced today he's returning to the road for the first time since 2018. Like Bridgers, his tour also sold out immediately.
It all speaks to how incredibly ready the entire world is to see talented people do their things on stage again. For further evidence, please enjoy this round up of fans losing their ever-loving shit on Twitter over the news. May we all be cramped into a sweaty venue together again soon.
