REVIEW: Phoebe Bridgers delivers pure, phone-free magic to TD Garden

At this moment in time, there is a social pressure to visually broadcast experiences to others, which can interrupt a concerted effort to truly be present. This is one of the first sensations I noted upon entering @tdgarden for Phoebe Bridgers’ @thelosttour last Tuesday night. Venue staff scanned our digital tickets and printed out individual receipts with our seat and section numbers. All recording devices were placed in Yondr pouches, only to be unlocked at the conclusion of the show, or in a few approved areas of the venue. With my hands free from technology, I had no choice but to look around me: bodies were angled towards each other, gazes shared, with hands occupied by drinks, concessions, and recently purchased merch.

I noticed the size of the notepad I was using resembled that of a smartphone. The difference was my active reflection of my surroundings — not anything else that could arrest my attention. Everywhere I looked, there was a collective task at hand: to simply be.