On September 25th, in Boston’s Fenway area, a line to enter MGM Music Hall stretches hundreds of feet along Lansdowne Street, buzzing with uncontainable energy. It’s the first of two sold-out nights in Boston for indie supergroup Boygenius, who are about to kick off their North American tour nearly six months after the release of their debut album, “the record.” Listeners are dressed in Phoebe Bridgers’ classic skeleton jumpsuit, Boygenius’s signature button up and tie, and the group’s heavy metal-style merch, eager to stake out a spot as close to the stage as possible.

Known for their powerful three-part harmonies, Boygenius consists of alternative rock artist Phoebe Bridgers, pop singer Lucy Dacus, and alternative vocalist and guitarist Julien Baker. The group formed in 2018 with the release of their self-titled EP, hoping to make a stand against the music industry’s tendency to pit women against one another. "You don't have to compete with your contemporaries,” said Dacus in a 2019 interview with Under the Radar Magazine. “You can make something good with people you admire.” Baker, who had been battling an intense fear of singing for much of 2023, recovered her confidence for this very reason. “These guys have given me my voice back,” she admitted during a live performance at Madison Square Garden. “Many times before this, and in many ways.” It is because of this support, as well as the much-needed representation that the group provides for queer women in the music industry, that their music is so significant to so many listeners.

After five years of hiatus to focus on their growing solo careers, Boygenius finally reunited in 2023 to release “the record.” The album is a perfect balance of emotional ballads and electrifying rock hits, each with their own striking lyrics and melodies, and it quickly climbed the charts before settling at number 1 in four countries.

Back in Boston, after an energizing performance from Boston-born opener Palehound, the crowd was singing along to a popular alternative playlist and swarming with excitement in anticipation of Boygenius’s entrance. The backup band—consisting of a skilled bassist, a drummer from Boston’s own Berklee College of Music, a classically trained keyboardist, and a gifted multi-instrumentalist—walked onstage first, preparing their instruments as the crowd roared and waiting for the noise to die down. 

In the quiet, the backdrop sparked to life. On it, Bridgers, Dacus, and Baker were huddled around a single microphone, tucked into the wings backstage. “Give me everything you’ve got,” they sang, their harmonizing voices light yet piercing, as they kicked off their new album’s a cappella opening track, “Without You Without Them.” When they finished, the final chord hung in the air, and the group burst onto the stage before the crowd’s cheers had time to settle. Each grabbing a guitar, they launched into the electrifying intro of “$20.” The crowd roared, jumping with the group, and screamed with Bridgers at the song’s hair-raising conclusion. 

The trio then transitioned into “Satanist,” the lights flashing a violent red with every measure. From there, they slowed it down, singing soft, melancholic tracks like “Emily I’m Sorry” and “Cool About It” before finally journeying back in time to showcase songs from the original “boygenius” EP. 

Over halfway through the show, the group members each had an opportunity to sing one of their own songs from their solo careers. Dacus performed “Please Stay,” a heartbreaking ballad about her experiences helping friends who have considered taking their lives. Baker followed this with “Favor,” a sorrowful yet strong track off of her 2021 album “Little Oblivions,” and Bridgers then sang about the difficulties of self-perception in the ethereal “Graceland Too.” Through each song, the trio sat onstage and swayed together, their voices powerful despite the change in mood. In the crowd, a sea of flashlights swayed with them. 

After the solo section was done, in a moment of silence, the group began to tune their guitars once again. “I gotta turn all my little knobs,” Baker quipped. When they finally began to play again, the intro was unfamiliar. “In a rainstorm,” they sang, “suckin’ down a dart on the back porch.” It was the live debut of unreleased track “Black Hole.” The crowd was captivated.

After a few more songs, Boygenius closed out their set with the chart-topping “Not Strong Enough,” a song about being unwilling to shoulder the responsibilities of a relationship. In a recent interview with Genius Lyrics, Baker translated the lyrics: “I’m capable of being the man who’s strong enough to be your man, but the responsibility of it is not something I’m interested in.” The song was their first number one hit, and everyone in the venue knew each and every word.

Following the set’s finale, the crowd remained, shouting “Encore!” above the energized chatter. After a moment, the three artists returned to the stage to sing “Ketchum, ID,” a raw ballad from their self-titled EP, before beginning the strong yet heartbreaking “Salt in the Wound.” When the song’s powerful outro began, special guest Hozier—known for his hit song “Take Me to Church”—joined the trio onstage. The crowd’s screams of disbelief drowned out the melody, but once the noise died down, the group’s piercing four-layer harmonies left everyone awestruck. In the song’s final moments, Bridgers, Dacus, and Hozier began to bow to Baker, who was pouring her heart into a stunning guitar solo. She sank into Dacus’s arms, and the crowd roared one last time.

As the group exited the stage for good, they left behind one final, thrilling announcement: “‘the rest’ out october 13.” 

Over the course of two hours, Boygenius fired us up, broke our hearts, and made us feel like part of their group. Their incredible performance consisted of everything from slow songs like “Revolution 0” to rock hits like “Satanist,” and their signature harmonies were even stronger when executed live. The mark they left on the crowd at MGM Music Hall will stick for a very long time.

So, who would we be without them? I suppose we’ll never have to find out.