The XFinity Mobile Arena, formerly known as the Wells Fargo Center, a venue usually dedicated to sports championships, recently hosted an event that felt like a cultural revival. On October 24th, Laufey, the 26-year-old Icelandic singer-songwriter, brought her unique blend of jazz, classical, and pop to the arena as part of her A Matter of Time tour. More compelling than the tour itself is her devoted fanbase, proving a new generation is ready to embrace and elevate timeless sounds.
This wasn’t a typical concert. It was a long-anticipated moment marking an artist revolutionizing the music space.
For Fifth Former Robert Piergiovanni-James, seeing Laufey live was the culmination of years of dedication to her music. “I’ve been a fan since Form I,” he said. “‘From the Start’ was actually my gateway to Lauvey.”
The successful trip, however, actually hinged on his friend, Fifth Former Kiefer Williams, who advised him to pre-order tickets before the last school year ended. Securing those tickets with his friend, like many fans, was an act of intentional effort: carving out time for something they love deeply.
The atmosphere in the venue was a world away from a typical stadium scene. Arriving around seven o’clock, Piergiovanni-James quickly passed through security and came to his seat in just five minutes.
The audience, composed mostly of high school and college students, used the night for self-expression. Outfits were far from casual wear, many an elaborate homage to Laufey’s aesthetic: people dressed up in full bedazzled dresses, milkmaid tops, and whimsical accessories like clock purses. Piergiovanni-James embraced this too, wearing an all-black turtleneck with gold accents.
The fans’ dedication points to the heart of Laufey’s appeal—she revives old genres and pays homage to the past with a distinctly new perspective. Her sound, a refreshing mix of classic jazz and bossa nova, creates a powerful, genre-defying feel that is distinctly familiar and approachable for younger generations.
For all the emotional connection and artistry, the student experience at the Wells Fargo Center was undoubtedly a product of modern music consumption. Before the era of smartphones and accessible streaming platforms, artists primarily made revenue from album sales. Now, with music accessible everywhere, the business model has shifted to the live show—tickets are much more expensive and in greater demand.
As expected, lines were long, but the sheer desire for physical mementos was clear: the merchandise line wrapped around the stadium to the escalators even before the show began.
Once the house lights dropped, Piergiovanni-James saw in that moment the culmination of months of waiting. The production solidified to him Laufey’s unique place as a musician who commanded the stage alongside a string orchestra—a refreshing take compared to artists who rely on a backing track.
The elaborate stagecraft and high-priced logistics ultimately melted away during Laufey’s most intimate moment.
The production was a visual echo of the music’s complexity, vastly changing between songs. Piergiovanni-James pointed out that the lighting was surreal, helping to immerse the audience in the different moods expressed by her music. During the emotional, bossa nova-esque “Silver Lining,” the stage was filled with red tones. In stark contrast, the lights shifted to an earthy, somber blue for the song “Bored,” perfectly matching the emotion of the sound.
The set changes, as Piergiovanni-James described, were “undetectable.” Props like a clock or a castle were seamlessly wheeled on and off, and dancers contributed to the show with stylized, fluid movements like moving their legs to resemble a clock’s hands. The song “Sabotage” even surprised Piergiovanni-James during the transition, highlighting the performance’s dynamic range.
The elaborate stagecraft and high-priced logistics ultimately melted away during Laufey’s most intimate moment. The artist, having sold out Philadelphia’s biggest arena, paused to express gratitude for her fans, who support what she loves doing by coming to see her.
Laufey has a profound impact on her audience, who all share the same cathartic experience. For fans like Piergiovanni-James, who had anticipated this night for months, witnessing her success validated years of dedication to her music.
The concert was more than just a performance: it was a powerful statement on the genre as a whole. Even as the means of consuming music are constantly evolving, its universal and connective power remains timeless.
“I still can’t believe I got to see her in person,” Piergiovanni-James said. “It really lived up to my expectations.”
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