The Fillmore (San Francisco, CA)
10/08/23
In the past few years, Icelandic-Chinese musician Laufey has enchanted fans worldwide with her unique sound that spins her traditional jazz and classical background with contemporary pop themes and lyrics. On October 8th, exactly one month after the release of her sophomore album, Bewitched, The Fillmore, nestled in the heart of San Francisco, played host to an extraordinary night of music as the singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist graced the stage for the first night of her completely sold-out “Bewitched” tour.
The atmosphere at The Fillmore was electric as the crowd eagerly awaited Laufey, which erupted in cheers once the pre-show playlist switched over to a classical piece, signaling the start of the show. Her band – a four-piece string quartet consisting of a string bassist, a drummer, and Adam Melchor, the show’s opener, on guitar – took the stage quietly, filling some of the places marked by instruments and seats onstage. When Laufey appeared, simply taking her place at the mic stand at the center of the stage, her presence was radiant and calm, and with her red Gibson Hummingbird guitar in hand, she began with “Fragile” from her 2022 debut album, Everything I Know About Love. The crowd was immediately enraptured by the wistful and hopelessly romantic music, their voices joining hers to sing about the tenderness of a budding romance.
For the first few songs of the set, the stage was lit simply with a few lights, but as she began “Dreamer,” a background of dotted lights lit up behind her. Laufey was only on vocals during this song, and she took the opportunity to move around more on stage, since for most of the set she would be tethered to one of the several instruments she played. Classically trained on the piano and cello, her music features them often. She picked up the acoustic guitar for “Falling Behind,” and during “Beautiful Stranger” transitioned to the cello, continuing on the instrument to cover jazz and pop singer Keely Smith’s 1957 hit, “I Wish You Love.” For the next part of the set, Laufey moved over to the baby grand piano, where she played arrangements of a handful of songs, including “Promise” from Bewitched; “Let You Break My Heart Again,” her 2021 single that she recorded with the Philharmonia Orchestra; and the interlude from her new album, “Nocturne.” The cello and piano showcase was adored by the crowd, delighted to see her mastery of the instruments she loves live.
The final third of the set featured Laufey either just with the mic or back on the guitar – this time, a gold version of the guitar from the beginning of the show. After “Bewitched” and “Haunted,” she played “Best Friend” from her 2021 E.P., Typical of Me, which she wrote for her twin sister, Junia. For “Lovesick,” she turned the entire room into her “choir of angels,” teaching each side of the crowd a different series of notes to sing, before reaching the final song before the encore. Despite, or perhaps because of, her music having a different sound compared to sounds that are typically in pop music – her vocal timbre being deeper and silky and her music softer and a unique blend of musical influences – she has gone viral on social media several times over. Bewitched has done exceptionally well, reaching #23 on the Billboard 200 and #1 on the jazz albums and traditional albums charts, also becoming Spotify’s most streamed jazz album debut. The album’s single, “From The Start,” which was released earlier in May and is a TikTok staple, was the song that closed the pre-encore set, with the crowd shouting the iconic lyrics, “‘She’s so perfect’ blah blah blah.”
The two-song encore featured “Magnolia,” a stripped back and quiet song from Typical of Me that has become a fan favorite, and the original planned final song was replaced with “Love Flew Away.” Before starting, she noted that she realized it was the two-year anniversary of the song that she released with Adam Melchor, and invited him back out on the stage to perform it together. It was a lovely way to end the night. Throughout the night, Laufey’s music took center stage and her natural charisma shined through. The audience could feel the sincerity that seeped through each note, and it was impossible not to be bewitched by her enchanting performance.
