As the alternative indie duo group, Between Friends, rounds out their debut album tour, they make their final stop in their hometown of Los Angeles, California, at the historic Fonda Theatre on Friday, November 10, 2023. The show was bright, lively, heartwarming, and chaotic in all the best ways.
From the moment the brother-sister group stepped on the stage, the crowd was cheering with excitement. Both Brandon and Savannah Hudson brought an energetic performance that the crowd connected with very much.
With their brand new (first) album, I Love My Girl, She's My Boy, the group went on an extensive tour of the United States. With their debut single released in 2017, the band has released multiple EPs and singles. This pop band has since blown up, with almost 2,000,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. This new album marks a significant feat in their career.
With 14 songs ranging from pop to R&B to indie to electronic, this album keeps you entertained from start to end. The fan favorites have been “Self Destruct,” “Bruise,” and “Haircut,” which have all been personal favorites. All three of these songs have strong production value, and I was wondering if the live versions of these songs wouldn’t live up to the studio version, but I was wrong. Hearing them play live was a whole new experience. It felt like listening to these songs for the first time again.
The night started out with “Stalker,” the intro song to the new album, then they played a classic from their earliest EP, “iloveyou” from We Just Need Some Time Together, and the crowd went wild. The energy didn't stop there; it only increased throughout the night. The crowd interactions with the artist were definitely the standout.
The most memorable moment was when Savannah would stop singing to listen to the crowd finish the rest of the song, and the audience knew every single word and sang their hearts out as she stood listening with a huge smile.
Another big standout from the show was the staging and lighting. Large, colorful, flashy lights lit up the stage and complimented the artists' stage presence. With a range of vibrant colors, my favorite ones to capture were the hues of purple and blue. The combo made the artists pop. The set design was unique and vibey, with vintage TVs and couches, giving the artists more ways to interact on stage.
Another fun moment was when Brandon ran offstage and jumped into the crowd in a moshpit-like setting. The people went wild. Everyone in the crowd was jumping and singing along with Brandon. You could tell this was the audience's favorite part.
With Los Angeles being the last stop—and their hometown—this show was an emotional but exhilarating end. You could really feel the connection between the audience and the band. It seems like the audience knew every single word of every song. With the encore ending with “Affection,” by far their most popular song and what put them on the map, Brandon and Savannah ran to each other. They gave one another a big hug before embracing their fellow band members on stage, ending the show (and the tour) in a heartfelt spectacle. If you ever get a chance to see Between Friends live on their next tour, I highly recommend it.
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