Arlo Parks Heals Chicago Hearts
On Saturday, March 16th, I had the pleasure of viewing Arlo Parks on her North American tour at Thalia Hall. The British artist uses strong melodies with enchanting lyrics in order to captivate and entrance her audience through song. Accompanying Parks were three bandmates playing bass, guitar, and drums.
The most captivating aspect of the show was the presence of the audience. It seemed as if everyone who attended was a super-fan dedicated to singing every lyric they knew. And boy, did they sing! With such a supportive and receptive audience, you could see Parks and her band’s energy shift as their comfort with the venue grew. Not only was the spiritual presence activated, but the light show highlighted the talent of the group. Whether it was warm toned, cool toned or both, the lighting helped guide the mood of the night.
Mid-concert, Parks acknowledged how impactful the Chicago audience always is and that one of her fans died after her last Chicago show. Janelle Gardiner was fatally involved in a hit-and-run hours after the concert. Luckily enough, the victim's cousin was in the audience holding a sign to commemorate her cousin. This emotional moment created an extreme intimacy with the audience and the songs that followed.
Link to ABC 7 coverage of Janelle's passing.
Having only listened to one song by this artist before the concert, I was taken by her poetry and lyricism throughout the entire show. One of my favorite quotes is from her song, "Pegasus." “I think it's special because you told me.” Holding space for those who hold space for you is a common theme throughout the artist's discography. Another lyric that touched me was from her song "Black Dog," which states, “I would do anything to get you out your room. Just take your medicine and eat some food.” Parks shows an appreciation for the shared struggles between the audience and her. The pure love in the concert hall overtook the energy of the event. I love Arlo Parks as much as she loves me, which is evidently a lot.