Words and Photos by Emmie Sweeting
In a world full of uncertainty, superstars MARIS and Caroline Kingsbury have created a little pocket of heaven in their out-of-this-world co-headline tour, Give Me A Tour. MARIS, a singer songwriter originally from Montana, released her first EP “Gravity” in 2023. She has since put out multiple singles, including one with her co-headliner, Caroline Kingsbury, called “Give Me A Sign” (GMAS). Kingsbury, originally from Florida, is a singer-songwriter best known for her 80s flair that has led her to release hit singles like “Kissing Someone Else” and “Take My Phone Away.” Both artists, having themes of 80s pop and queer love, decided to join forces on a joint tour this fall.
Saying this tour was the “intergalactic sapphic tour of my dreams” …is a huge understatement. I was lucky enough to attend the tour in Chicago this month as a VIP ticketholder with 2 of my best concert friends and honestly – we still haven’t moved on. I met MARIS when she opened for Maude Latour last spring and Caroline at Lollapalooza Chicago this past summer, but had no idea what to expect from a joint tour since that’s quite unheard of. VIP started by taking photos with both the artists and continued by us all hanging out and doing each other’s makeup with MARIS and Caroline! Then came the pre-show: something else that was unheard of.
Have you ever been to a show where the warm up for the crowd was led by the audience?? That’s right: the “opener” was the audience taking turns singing karaoke! I personally think this is genius because although openers are, of course, an excellent way to find new artists — like MARIS (and should be respected!!!) — with such a small intimate crowd, it was super fun to see everyone’s personalities come out. It bonded strangers in a way I haven’t seen at a show before. My friends and I were actually joined by MARIS and Caroline on stage for our karaoke song (which is coolest thing that’s ever happened to me). I think the pre-show karaoke was a huge reason for creation of the particularly safe yet energetic space MARIS and Caroline created for us.
During the show, the vibe continued with added humour from the space/alien theme and the artists doing short skits as a transfer between their songs. Maris and Caroline started with their hit single, “GMAS,” then went into individual songs (with Caroline performing a few, then MARIS, then Caroline, etc.). Both artists performed their top hits, although MARIS decided to avoid our favorites, “Going Yet” and “Voicemail.” The artists also took time in both of their sets to make sure the audience knew this was a safe space and that the concertgoers are loved as much as the artists on stage. Caroline and MARIS spoke personally about what has influenced their songwriting, grief, and insecurity respectively.
They didn’t let the sentimental moments stop them from putting on a show that was magical, innovative, and straight up sexy. Fans and the artists alike gave each other the energy to make this show unforgettable — I’m still thinking about MARIS dancing in the pit with us and Caroline handing my friend a pink, old school telephone at the end of one of her songs. The love these two have for their fans is palpable and this much is clear: MARIS and Caroline Kingsbury are a breath of fresh air for the queer pop music space and I can’t wait to see what they’ll do next.
Queer pop is alive and well with MARIS and Caroline Kingsbury! This tour was so very special to me and I can’t wait to see what they’re going to do next.
Loudspeaker Collective 