REVIEW

UNFILTERED AND UNSTOPPABLE — Alt-pop powerhouse Bishop Briggs took the stage at Chicago’s Metro venue on Saturday, March 21, delivering an electrifying and soul-baring performance in celebration of her latest record, Tell My Therapist I’m Fine. The tour marks a long-awaited return for Briggs—her first full-length project in five years—delivering a 20-song setlist that felt like an unfiltered glimpse into her psyche.

Opening the night with the emotionally charged “My Serotonin,” Briggs immediately exuded a commanding stage presence, connecting with the audience through her magnetic energy. Across a 20-song set, she pulled from her entire discography, including fan favorites from CHAMPION and Church of Scars, but the night was ultimately a celebration of her newest record.

Songs like “Hurt Me Now” and “Art of Survival” dripped with vulnerability, as Briggs’ voice cracked with emotion, making it impossible not to feel the weight of her words. Yet, in true Bishop Briggs fashion, she balanced these intimate moments with high-energy anthems like “Champion” and the fan-favorite “Dark Side,” ensuring that the crowd never lost momentum.

Whether she was belting out powerfully cathartic choruses or taking a moment to reflect with stripped-back moments, every song felt like an entry from her diary. The audience, fully immersed, responded with equal intensity—singing along, dancing, and embracing the emotional highs and lows of the night.

Midway through the set, the crowd erupted as the opening notes of “Wild Horses” rang out, a clear fan favorite that had the entire audience belting, “wild horses run faster, run faster.” The energy in the room soared as Briggs commanded the stage with her deeply expressive presence, her powerhouse vocals carrying every note with raw intensity.

Between songs, she took a moment to pause and share a heartfelt affirmation, telling the crowd, “Chicago has been in my heart for many years.”

Without missing a beat, Briggs launched into “White Flag,” an anthemic declaration of resilience. Her voice, soaring and unwavering, filled every inch of the venue, making the performance an emotionally charged experience. The crowd moved in sync with the pounding drums, fists in the air, as she channeled every ounce of emotion into the song’s defiant chorus. It was a defining moment of the night—one that encapsulated her signature mix of raw emotion, dynamic presence and undeniable vocal prowess.

Amidst the night’s electrifying highs, Briggs created out a deeply vulnerable moment with her performance of “Growing Pains.” Stripping back the production to just her voice and a gentle acoustic accompaniment, she introduced the song with a heartfelt reflection: “I wrote this song when I was nine months pregnant, and it’s a conversation with my child—letting them know it’s okay to not be happy all the time, and it’s okay to love so deeply.”

The room fell silent as she sang, her voice raw and trembling with emotion. As she poured herself into the song, her voice cracked ever so slightly, making the performance feel even more intimate—like a private confession shared with the hundreds of fans packed into the venue.

As the night reached its peak, Briggs closed out her set with an explosive one-two punch of fan favorites, “Woman Is King” and “River,” leaving the crowd in an electrified frenzy.

“Woman is King’s” empowering message pulsed through the venue, with Briggs commanding the stage with the same fiery intensity she had maintained all night. Her presence was larger than life, every movement exuding passion. Then came the unmistakable opening beats of “River,” and the crowd erupted. It was the moment fans had been waiting for, and Briggs held nothing back. She prowled the stage, her voice soaring with an unmatched intensity as the audience screamed the lyrics in unison. The Metro shook with the collective energy of hundreds of voices singing, “shut your mouth, baby, stand and deliver.”

Briggs’ performance at Chicago’s Metro was a cathartic celebration of her new record, Tell My Therapist I’m Fine, and everything it represents. With a setlist that balanced explosive anthems with stripped-back vulnerability, Briggs reclaimed her voice, shared her journey, and reminded fans that strength comes in many forms.