Maggie Rogers Keeps the Lights On for Fans at Wamu Theater in Seattle

BY Sophia Kinglsey (She/Her) and CALLIE SOLBERG (SHE/HER)

Maggie Rogers brought an electric energy to the WAMU theater stage in Seattle this past Wednesday night. The 29-year-old Grammy nominated performer has been lighting up stages across the country since the start of her “Summer of ‘23 Tour” which kicked off in late July. Fans were lined up outside the theater long before doors opened, despite the recent Seattle heat wave and blazing sun. Decked out in merch from Rogers’ past tours, face glitter and boots, the crowd was buzzing with anticipation.

The show kicked off promptly at 8 pm with openers Alvvways, a Canadian based indie pop group who are touring with Rogers for the second half of her tour. Their combination of guitar solos, dreamy vocals and synth sounds woke the crowd up and got everyone swaying and dancing. Singer-songwriter Molly Rankin brought a soothing and upbeat vibe to the opening act, announcing that they “came to rock”.

As the lights began to dim for the main show the crowd went wild, whooping and hollering as Roger’s band made their way onto stage. Roger’s herself appeared at the top of the stage stairs under a lone spotlight, dressed in a pink babydoll jersey dress, smoke billowing around her, posing like a superhero. Her cropped hair, gold hoops and white gogo boots were reminiscent of a Mamma Mia style performance. She launched into the slow and soulful opening of “Anywhere With You” before bouncing down onto the main stage and getting the crowd dancing as the song picked up speed.

The enthusiasm of the crowd continued with renditions of “Want Want” and “Burning”. Rogers twirled around the stage under blue and pink lights, the perfect picture of a popstar princess. The energy in the venue was alive throughout the show, even during the slower ballads of two new songs Rogers introduced. Fans were singing along to the words displayed on the screen and cheering with admiration at the conclusion of each song. Rogers alternated between dancing across the stage, interacting with her bandmates and crooning into the mic beneath soft lights.

One of the most vibrant songs of the night came when Rogers cued up “Lights On”, a clear fan favorite. The room quickly became illuminated with hundreds of phone lights waving to the rhythm of the beat as the crowd sang along to the lyrics: “If you keep reaching out, then I’ll keep coming back. But if you leave the light on, then I’ll leave the light on.” The vocal range that the talented indie singer-songwriter possesses is awe-inspiring. Her ability to belt and draw out powerful notes before transitioning into gentle, lilting tempos is simply beautiful.

After performing “That’s Where I Am”, a poetic and catchy song, Rogers and the rest of the band departed the stage. But the show wasn’t over yet. The crowd was soon chanting “Maggie! Maggie! Maggie!” and cheering so loudly that an encore was imminent. Glowing with a huge smile, Rogers returned to indulge the fans in two more songs, “Fallingwater” and “Different Kind of World”, a slower and touching ballad. The show ended with thunderous applause, cheers of gratitude and flowers thrown onto stage as Rogers thanked Seattle and disappeared backstage.

Rogers' growth as an artist over the past several years is nothing short of impressive. After first being discovered by Pharrell Williams at an NYU masterclass, her songs “Alaska'' and “Dog Years” helped catapult her notoriety. Speaking with several fans before the show, I heard thesame sentiments echoed: “She’s going to blow up” or “She’s gonna be huge”.

Rogers lamented at the conclusion of the show how music has the power to transport us to the past, present and even future. She asked who in the crowd had been to her 2019 show, and even her 2016 show, to which a multitude of people cheered. Rogers is a force on stage and brought a genuine and stimulating presence to the show. There is no question that her fame and fan base are sure to continue to expand as she wraps up her current tour and develops her art even further.