On October 2, 2024, singer-songwriter Briston Maroney brought his indie rock sound to College Street Music Hall in New Haven, Connecticut. This was stop number 15 on his “Ultrapure Tour Part 2,” based on his album of the same name. The initial “Ultrapure Tour” ran from last October to March, with this current extension of the tour running from May to October of this year. This leg of the tour featured WHY NOT as an opener which set the tone for the music of the night.

Upon entering the venue, fans were welcomed with a bright stage decorated with shiny iridescent fabric that sparkled underneath all of the colorful lights. In front of this were giant, handmade jellyfish, hung above as if they were floating in water. Surrounding them were large hearts, fun plants, and different creatures all with googly eyes that seemed to have their eyes staring at center stage, waiting for Maroney to perform. The creative stage setup added to the close-knit feel of the venue. 

From the moment the lights dimmed and the opening chords of “Body” played, the audience knew they were in for an exciting experience. Throughout all of the songs, the band altered from the original music of each song and jammed out, letting the instruments guide their way. The setlist was packed with his most popular hits alongside some lesser-known songs, even performing an unreleased track.

The show reached its peak with “Freakin’ Out on the Interstate” towards the end of the night. This song gained strong popularity on TikTok in 2020 and still remains his most popular to this day with over 239,000,000 Spotify streams. As soon as the familiar notes of the song started, the crowd erupted, waiting to be a part of it themselves. Maroney gave a more acoustic version of the song which gave a more personal touch to it. All around the venue, you could hear the voices of the audience meld with Maroney. It was one of those moments where the connection between the artist and the audience felt genuine and real.

Throughout the night, Maroney was joking and laughing with the audience. At one point, he called out a crazy wave from a fan in the audience, laughing and declaring it “the best one I’ve ever seen!” This was a special moment as he kept calling attention to it the entire night. This inside joke between him and the audience that night will always be remembered.

The craziest moment of the night was when Maroney insinuated he had a huge guest performance. He strongly alluded to the fact that the band Oasis would be performing in the encore. As the crowd started chanting and cheering for this, the opening band WHY NOT came back on stage and humorously pretended to be Oasis, singing “Champagne Supernova” in a strong British accent.

Overall, Briston Maroney’s “Ultrapure Tour Part 2” show at College Street Music Hall was a fantastic mix of energetic performance and heartfelt music. With a strong lineup of songs, engaging crowd interactions, and a fun stage design, the night was one to remember. Even though Oasis didn’t have a guest appearance, the crowd still enjoyed the show all the same.