Arlo Parks @ Union Stage [DC] - 10/26/2021
Arlo Parks at Union Stage (Photo ©2021 Mauricio Castro)
Arlo Parks has gone through a musically meteoric rise, from recording in her parents’ bedroom in west London to releasing her debut EP in 2019 to winning the 2021 Mercury Prize, whose previous winners include Sampha, PJ Harvey, and the xx. It’s not hard to see why: she combines indie rock, soul, and R&B with her love of poetry to create timeless songs that touch on topics of mental health, sexuality, and friendships. Though she only has one album out, it’s no surprise she’s become the talk of the UK music scene so quickly.
Her sold-out Union Stage stop was the second to last of her fall tour around the US. Not only did she play songs from her debut album Collapsed in Sunbeams and EP Super Sad Generation, she also read a handwritten poem (“Collapsed in Sunbeams,” which kicks off the eponymous album) from her notepad. In a sign of appreciation, she noticed a group of passionate fans in the front of the crowd after reading the poem and tore the page out to give them a piece of the poem. It was obvious that she was thankful to be able to share her stories with the world in such a personal and intimate way once again.
Arlo Parks’ debut album Collapsed in Sunbeams is out now through Transgressive Records.
Opening for Arlo Parks was NYC-based indie-pop collective MICHELLE. Their latest release is the single “MESS U MADE,” with their sophomore album “AFTER DINNER WE TALK DREAMS” coming in January 2022.
Photos by Mauricio Castro
Covid Safety Rating
Venue Check for Proof of Vaccination? Yep
Masks required? Yep
Was the audience wearing masks? 80-90%
But at least the staff was wearing masks, right? Yep