Unpacking the Virtual Maggie Rogers Concert

But we’re still mourning the loss of Mayfest.

by LAYLA HARRISON ★ FEBRUARY 23, 2021

Scream-singing along to your favorite songs, jumping up and down breathlessly to the beat, and watching your favorite artist make the stage their b*tch. Are you at a concert, or are you sitting on the laundry room couch watching a live stream on your computer, waiting for your underwear to dry?

Covid-19 has robbed music-loving teens of a universal favorite experience: attending concerts. Virtual concerts have become popular during quarantine due to an influx of live music performances on TikTok, Instagram, and even news stations. Syracuse University has followed suit, and we couldn’t love ‘Cuse more for it. Last weekend, Syracuse spoiled its students with a virtual Maggie Rogers concert—and it was it a sight to behold. If you missed it, don’t worry. We’ve got you covered.

We began with the transition from a blank screen to a portrayal of a stage lit with red and orange light. Queen Maggie Effing Rogers saunters onstage without missing a beat; if you somehow don’t know who she is, she sings the song that’s like, “You can leave the light on. You can leave the light ooooonn.” We quickly observe that she is here not only to perform, but to debut her new haircut, which is slightly mullet-esque—this is a super trendy hairstyle as of late. Her fit consists of a dope baggy whoutfit—reminiscent of Billie Eilish’s closet, tbh—with abstract writing on the baggy t-shirt.

Credit: University Union

The music starts immediately, and Rogers opens with “Give A Little—" an absolute BANGER. That being said, def keep in mind the genre is indie-pop so take “banger” with a grain of salt…

Rogers jumps around the stage, shimmying over to her guitarist and serenading him before spinning back to the mic. “What’s up, Syracuse University?!” Rogers calls out when the song ends, before jumping right back into action with “Burning.” She belts, “I’m in love” and I’m like… same. But with you though. The energy continues to stay high as the lights get low, changing from bright, saturated reds to pale, dark yellows. Following “Burning” are “Say It” and “The Knife.” During “The Knife” we get a view of the entire stage area, which is socially distanced and solely consisting of a keyboardist, guitarist, drummer, and Rogers. The sound is extremely impressive for such a small band, and the songs sound comparable if not better than the studio recordings. I’m fangirling.

Rogers introduces her next song with a short, “I hope everyone’s staying sane in this weird time. this song is the opposite of that.” And BABY YOU ALREADY KNOW she’s singing “Retrograde.” Aaand she’s BELTING like nobody's biz. “I’m in retrograde! I’m in RET. TRO. GRADE!” Please keep in mind, I’m screaming along, full volume, no airpods. Sorry (not sorry) to all Day Hall residents doing laundry on February 21 from 8pm-9pm. The energy is infectious even through a screen, which is truly a testament to Rogers’ passion.

Next on the set list is “Back In My Body.” She literally sings, “I was stopped in London when I felt it coming down. Crashing all around me with a great triumphant sound” and immediately I’m in my bag. Hits every time. I’m not joking when I say it sounds much better than the recorded version, if that’s even possible. Her face is earnest and her tone is soothing, inviting, vulnerable, raw. I could listen to her sing “Oooooh” in different pitches all day.

What sets Rogers apart as an artist is that it truly doesn’t seem like she’s trying to entertain, so much as share. Regardless of whether she’s stationary at the mic, tracing patterns in the air with her arms, or jiving up and down the stage, she’s enchanting. Her movements don’t seem rehearsed or choreographed; they feel loving and intentional. It isn’t the lyrics to her songs or audience engagement, but rather her aura, for lack of a better term, that makes you feel as if she’s reached into her chest and pulled out her heart for you to gaze upon. She’s the kind of artist that you can’t help but watch, which sets her apart from other artists in her genre like Phoebe Bridgers for example.

After “Back In My Body,” she sang her total head bopper “Overnight” and breezes right into “Light On.” Maggie peacefully stands still throughout the song. During “Light On,” the pianist reveals herself as a backup singer… like WHAT?! She matches Maggie’s pitch and supports her tone beautifully. They weren’t trying to harmonize, but rather make a deeper, breathier, subtly consuming sound. The song ends and I’m thinking it’s over. “Light On” is her most popular song, and also the first Maggie Rogers song I ever heard.

Maggie holds up an orange and looks into the camera and declares, “This is for you. Thank you for having us.” She then tosses the orange off the stage, but instead of fading to black, the lights fade into a blue hue. AND YOU ALREADY KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS. Maggie Rogers closes with “Falling Water.” Her range goes crazy when she hits the chorus. She sings, “like falling watttterrrrr” then bam! She hits the beat with her chin with a somehow both graceful yet aggressive perfectly-timed nod.

The emotion in her face forces you to watch her, study her expression, care about her, care about the sounds she’s making and the life she leads. The song reaches its end. Slowly the instruments fade out until it’s just the guitar strumming behind Rogers. Finally, it’s just her humming quietly. The screen goes black. Needless to say, we’re obsessed.