Photos and Review by Jennie Book
@jenniebookphotography

Arlo Parks came to the Fox Theater in Oakland on March 5, 2024 in a stop on her her highly anticipated My Soft Machine North American Tour. With a resume that boasts headlining Jools Holland, gracing the cover of NME, and sharing stages with the likes of Harry Styles and Billie Eilish, Parks is a bright and shining young talent who had a pumped up venue full of fans waiting for her to take the stage.

In a journey through her soulful and introspective repertoire, Parks treated the crowd to a mesmerizing 17-song set that included fan favorites like “Eugene,” “Weightless,” and “Softly.” Backed by a three-piece band, Parks’ performance was a testament to her ability to blend down-tempo production with intimate and vulnerable songwriting.

Throughout the night Parks showed her poetic brilliance, delivering lyrics with a sincerity that the crowd seemed to feel deeply. As she poured her heart out on stage, the audience responded by singing along to every word and hanging on to each note with total attention.

Despite her youth, Parks exuded a maturity and confidence beyond her years, commanding the stage with grace and poise and fun. Her ability to connect with her audience on such a personal level spoke volumes about her talent as both a performer and a storyteller.

Opener Chloe George looked like she was having a great time on the Fox stage. Having spent a large part of her career behind the scenes penning hits for Billboard-charting singers, George looked completely at home in front of a crowd and had the pipes and talent to back it up. Look for more from her in the future.

With the My Soft Machine tour set to continue on an accelerated pace across the US until the end of March, followed by dates supporting Mitski in Texas in September, don’t miss this tour when it lands near you. Up to date information can be found at www.arloparksofficial.com and @arlo.parks.