02.18.23 – Photos by Mae Saunders / Review by McKenna Klaphake

On Saturday Maggie Rogers packed the room at The Armory with a stop on her “Feral Joy” tour. She brought along fellow indie pop artist and long time friend, Del Water Gap as the opener. Both Rogers and Water Gap brought immense energy to a track list that tends to fall on the slower side of the indie genre. 

Del Water Gap opened the night with bounding energy as he literally jumped across the stage during his set. This is not his first time in Minneapolis and he fondly recalled his previous time at Fine Line almost a year ago. Water Gap stated that he always has fun in Minneapolis and that we are one of his top three stops when touring. 

Water Gap’s music is inspired by “romantic encounters and dimly lit rooms” which is clearly heard in multiple songs of which he stated are “about being a stubborn fuck” and “falling in love during the pandemic.” In addition to the many singles made famous on Tik Tok, Water Gap brought his signature indie sound to a rockstar cover of Avril Lavigne’s “Complicated.”

Del Water Gap ended his set by thanking Rogers, saying “In a lot of ways Maggie is the reason I do this.”

The Feral Joy tour puts a spotlight on Rogers’ latest album “Surrender” with additional support from her previous albums, “Heard It In A Past Life” and “Notes From The Archive.” Rogers began her set with the song “Overdrive” surrounded by flashing lights and with a full band behind her. She wowed the audience with her prowess and infectious energy. As she twirled across the stage, Rogers made sure all eyes were on her as her sparkly pants mirrored the flashing lights around her. She also caught the audience’s attention by frequently projecting live video feed mixed with pre-recorded material above the stage. 

Despite having to start a couple of songs over, Maggie Rogers proved that she is truly a multi-faceted and talented performer. The carefree atmosphere that she created beautifully supports her music and narratives within it. She played both acoustic and electric guitar as well as a banjo during her performance, which further proves just how truly talented she is. 

It’s no surprise that Rogers brought Water Gap along with her for the tour because their friendship dates back over a decade, as the two used to sing together in a band before beginning their solo careers. Both of their indie pop sounds blend together perfectly, as heard in their duet “New Song” which they performed together at Saturday’s show.  

Water Gap wasn’t the only one to play a cover that night, however. During the song “Retrograde” Rogers transitioned into a fantastic cover of Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me.)” Rogers had the whole crowd enagaged throughout the entire show, even during her slower ballads that she is typically known for. 

Rogers finished the night with an encore performance of fan favorites “Falling Water” and “Different Kind Of World” which also wraps up her “Surrender” album. Both Del Water Gap and Maggie Rogers proved that they are just as talented live as they are in their recorded material. They brought energy to the stage and it was reciprocated right back which made for a fun night for everyone in attendance!