Bishop Briggs at Showbox Market
You know it’s going to be a good night when Bishop Briggs is playing in town. We headed to the sold-out show at Showbox Market for the Tell My Therapist I’m Fine tour stop on a Tuesday night. Last time we caught her live was with MisterWives at Showbox SoDo and it was nice to return to the Market for another show. It was a cold night in Seattle, but excited fans packed the room early on warming the space ready to show their adoration for Sarah McLaughlin and her third record tour run.
When it was time for Briggs to take the stage, everyone cheered as she appeared from the right side of the venue. Briggs immediately filled the room with her infectious smile and went into “Serotonin.” She said hi to everyone after and expressed her love for Seattle, followed by “Machine.” Then came a dynamic performance of “Wild Horses,” that had Briggs running back and forth on stage hopping around to the beat. Just watching her throughout the night made me tired. She is another level of stamina as she constantly moves around and doesn’t miss a note doing it all. It’s incredible to watch her perform.
The setlist was extensive as she played song after song energetically moving around the stage making contact with her fans. You can just tell she’s having the best time as she shares all these tunes that narrate her own life. For “Growing Pains,” she shared the stage only with her guitarist for an acoustic minute as her voice echoed in the room. She shared the story behind the song, writing it at nine months pregnant and imagining giving some advice to her kid. To communicate to them that if you’re not feeling happy all the time it’s not because you’re failing at life.
Before playing her last songs, she described writing the song and filming the music video for “Woman is King.” The video is set with Briggs running an apple stand and trying to audition to be the next apple girl but failing. She’s dressed as an apple for the audition and then returns to the stand and makes her own secret recipe as the outcome of trying different things. Briggs told the crowd that if there is one thing they take from the night is to be the apple and to keep trying things in life. Even if you fail the important thing is that you tried and that gives you other insights and confidence for later. So, there you have it, be the apple.
Briggs finished the show with an unforgettable “River,” which no matter how many times we hear, goosebumps are inevitable. It’s not a surprise this song has stood the test of time and still feels so unique and raw. Her voice paired with the lyrics shake the space and you can’t help but feel utterly breathless. If you have a chance to check out one of her shows, don’t miss it.
