English singer-songwriter Arlo Parks is back in DC better than ever — with her sophomore album, a new poetry book, and a handful of impressive song collaborations on her resume since her debut concert in The District in 2021. And at her show on March 22 at a sold-out 9:30 Club, she told the audience how much of a better place she is in since her last visit to DC and how she wants everyone in the audience to know they are loved and safe at her shows.
Parks is on tour promoting her second record, My Soft Machine, which came out just under a year ago. The record features a soft vibe that blends indie pop, folk, and R&B with her poetic, elegant lyrics. It’s no surprise, though, considering she just released her debut poetry book, The Magic Border: Poetry and Fragments from My Soft Machine. Whether her words are on stage or bound in a book, they are impactful.
Parks had a full band supporting her and a life-size tape recorder set piece to pull the experience together. It felt like you were sitting in on a live-studio session.
Right off the bat, the show was clear it would be a special one. DMV native rapper Redveil came on stage for his verse in Parks’ “Blades,” a track from the recently released deluxe version of My Soft Machine. The surprise was exciting, as was watching Redveil and Parks being huge fans of each other. The hyped-up audience would agree that it’s magical when an already exciting show somehow gets even better- especially for fans who may have been seeings multiple shows on the same tour.
Stream My Soft Machine by Arlo Parks on Spotify:
In addition to My Soft Machine and My Soft Machine Deluxe tracks, Parks performed a small selection of songs from her debut record Collapsed in Sunbeams like her hits “Caroline,” “Too Good,” and “Black Dog.”
Chloe George, an indie-pop artist known for her bedroom-pop sounds, opened for Parks. She said seeing Parks live every night “is like her multivitamin” and could not speak any higher about how much she loves her as an artist. She played a range of songs including those from her 2024 album, A Cheetah Hunting In Slow Motion, which came out this past month, while performing on a well-loved home-like carpet. Her set was intimate and personal, sharing anecdotes behind the songs for fans who may not know them or the lore behind the lyrics.
Whether it’s another book or another album, based on this tour’s energy and success, there is not doubt that whatever she does next will be just as celebrated and loved.
Here are some photos of Arlo Parks performing at 9:30 Club on March 22, 2024. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Sami Pye.
