Don’t Forget Maggie Rogers at the United Center

Operatic music flooded the speakers, hushing the United Center crowd as they waited for Maggie Rogers to appear on stage Oct. 24 — the Chicago leg of her first stadium tour.

As fans trickled into the arena, pop singer Ryan Beatty began his passion-filled set. With melancholic strings filling the space, the stage’s main screen displayed a paragraph detailing a picturesque countryside romance. Placed on the stage was a tree stump with an ax in its pith, which Beatty pulled out before taking a seat on the stump.

Orange lights illuminated Beatty as he kicked off with the heavy-hearted “Bruises Off The Peach.” With a doleful ambience lingering in the air, the set’s despondent theme progressed with “Cinnamon Bread” and “Andromeda.” 

Beatty concluded with twangy guitar on “Little Faith,” expressing gratitude for the audience before exiting the stage, the song’s instrumental still pouring through the stadium. 

Following Beatty’s departure, fans filled the arena with a synchronized clamor of excitement. 

Lights faded while a projection of sporadic footage of Rogers melded with an evocative monologue and a warm guitar composition. 

The music began to crescendo as a misty fog filled the stage’s walkway. Through a golden haze, Rogers rose from under the stage in a silver cape adorned with glitter.

Rogers commenced with an a cappella rendition of “That’s Where I Am” before sharp, muted bass cut into the second verse, culminating in a potent ensemble of drums and guitar. 

“It all works out in the end / Wherever you go, that’s whеre I am,” Rogers sang, accompanied by the roaring voices of fans.

Rogers paraded the stage for “Drunk,” taking brief pauses to belt the song’s chorus. A fervent solo from guitarist Shannon Callihan complimented Rogers’ spirited dancing.

Warm yellow lighting cradled Rogers and her band during “So Sick Of Dreaming.” Strumming an acoustic guitar to the melody of striking vocalizations, Rogers fittingly changed a lyric about the New York Knicks to the Chicago Bulls.

“So he calls me up 15 minutes before the reservation / And says he’s got Bulls tickets instead / I mean, I was at the restaurant,” Rogers sang.

Rogers marched down the stage singing “The Kill,” taking a moment to dance around each of her bandmates.

“Oh, I was an animal making my way up the hill / And you were going in for the kill,” Rogers sang.

Vivacious knee raises and sharp hip movements immediately transitioned into animated belts throughout “Want Want.”

During “Love You For A Long Time” a kiss cam was plastered on the jumbotrons, garnering screams from the audience. 

Rogers then introduced 85-year-old R&B singer Mavis Staples, former member of The Staple Singers. The two sang the band’s hit “I’ll Take You There,” contrasting Staples’ full-bodied, gravely vocals with Rogers’ soulful zing.

Lively guitar strums signaled the start of  “In The Living Room.” Despite its recent release Oct. 8, the crowd seemed to already know the lyrics, screaming them back at Rogers as she skipped across the stage. 

Trading drums for glass bottle percussion, Rogers began a mashup of “Dog Years” and Lori Lieberman’s “Killing Me Softly With His Song.” 

A black curtain cascaded down, leaving only the runway visible while a grainy home video depicting Rogers’ musical career path playing on the screen. As the scenes ended, Rogers appeared back on stage alone. Sitting at a piano, she paused to light incense and sip whiskey.

“This is my favorite part of the night where I get to just look around and see all of you,” Rogers said. “You look amazing.”

Taking advantage of the bright house lights, Rogers smiled as she spoke to the crowd while lightly playing the melody of “I Still Do.” Offering up a nearly seven-minute monologue, Rogers reflected on the importance of female role models in the music industry, like Staples, and her journey to play at the United Center.

“When I was growing up I played a lot of ‘Rock Band,’ and in ‘Rock Band’ arenas are the final level of the video game,” Rogers said. “Thank you so much for making it to the final level with me.”

Rogers continued into slower ballads “I Still Do” and “All The Same.” Muted piano instrumentation allowed her clear vocals to command the crowd’s attention as they swayed.

“This is an old song, we’re going to do it a new way,” Rogers said to introduce “Alaska.”

Forgoing the upbeat synth of the original recording, Rogers played an acoustic guitar, exposing her upper register as she belted the lyrics. 

After the first note of “Light On,” fans pulled out colored pieces of paper to cover their phone flashlights, turning the floor into a rainbow. 

At the track’s climax, confetti fell from the ceiling as Rogers spun with her arms outstretched, seeming to relish in the concert’s conclusion.  

Returning for an encore, “Don’t Forget Me” reignited the crowd’s energy as they screamed to the tour’s titular track.