Concert review: Brigitte Calls Me Baby w/ Skorts | 04.18.26, Off Broadway (with photo gallery)

Photo of Wes Leavins of Brigitte Calls Me Baby by Laura Jerele

I was fortunate enough to cover Brigitte Calls Me Baby the last time they came through St. Louis, but after their most recent show at Off Broadway, I’m fully committed to seeing, photographing, and reviewing any and all future shows that they play here. Like, I will go out of my way to never miss them here again. This was their first headlining show in the city and Off Broadway was basically sold out, and I could tell people showed up for them, not just to check something out. And damn, was it worth it!

There’s something about this band that just hit me immediately. From the first time I heard them, I loved ’em. Brigitte Calls Me Baby has a bright sound, a ton of presence, and that cool, slightly polished edge that feels pulled straight out of early indie and ‘80s sensibilities. They’ve got that thing where it feels fresh but also familiar in the best way. I caught myself looking around a lot, totally enjoying seeing so many people dig a band I adore. 

Singer Wes Leavins is unreal to watch. He leans all the way into it, like full drama, full commitment, and somehow it never feels like too much and feels romantically genuine. When his voice kicks in, it’s like… where did that even come from? It’s huge. There are moments where you can hear Roy Orbison in there, then a little Elvis Presley swagger, a bit of Buckley, and that kind of romantic, moody pull you get from The Smiths. But it all comes through with this clean, shimmering feel that makes it their own. Honestly, they just blow me away like the Killers in those early shows before Hot Fuss because such a fuss! They played with the crowd, too, having a moment of Q&A, to which no one really threw out any real questions, so they just went back into the set. What I wanted to know was what the hell made them laugh so hard in the first song of the night?! It was hysterical seeing some sort of inside joke between them that had them each laughing every time they looked at one another. 

At one point they ripped into a cover of The Strokes’ “Is This It” and it honestly felt like it belonged in their set, not like a random cover thrown in.

The new album is already doing what it’s supposed to do because the crowd knew everything. No lag, no polite energy. People were in it. “Slumber Party” hit exactly how I wanted it to with people screaming as soon as the guitar intro hit.  Hearing songs like “The Pit,” “We Were Never Alive,” and “I Wanna Die in the Suburbs” (even though I personally don’t!) live prove just how massively talented this band is with a lush and vibrant sound.

And then the encore…yes, they left stage so we could all yell “one more song,” to which they did, ending the show with “The Future Is Our Way Out.” Perfectly lit disco balls made the whole room into this glittery, glowing little world that I was not ready for it to end.  It was such a simple touch but it worked so well. One of those moments where you just stand there thinking, yeah, this band kicks ass and I’m having the best night ever! Also, and this genuinely mattered to me, both bands went straight to the merch booth after their sets. No disappearing act. They were just there, hanging out, talking to people, taking photos, signing stuff. It felt personal in a way that a lot of shows don’t anymore. Super refreshing.

Before the show, my colleague Laura interviewed lead singer Wes Leavins for our publication, and after seeing the set, parts of that conversation kept popping back into my head. He talked about living with no compromise, and that’s exactly what this show felt like. A band not hiding their influences, giving a punching performance and knocking our damn socks off with doing something different.  I’m not even going to pretend to be objective here. I love this band. Fully. If you were expecting anything less than a glowing review, that’s on you. Because the truth is, next time Brigitte Calls Me Baby comes through, they’re not playing a room this size. This felt like the last chance to catch them like this, in a vibey room that is both intimate and powerful.  If you missed it, you really did miss out.

Opening the night was Skorts out of New York City, and they were such a good fit. Super easy to sink into, definitely moody without needing the crutch of heavy fog or effects. I kept catching little flashes of Interpol, especially with their guitarist posted up in a dapper suit, just casually pulling those sharp tones out of a Bigsby-loaded Gibson like it was nothing. If they were drenched in fog it would feel gaze-ish, but lead singer/guitarist Alli Walls was too captivating to keep her eyes away from us. She has one hell of a voice and played it to a myriad of song styles. I’ll have to give them a bit more of a listen, but I liked their sound and heaviness and that hand-made sign. Actually, quite a bit of this band felt unique as if they were doing everything themselves and driving a very creative control. I really enjoyed “Eat Your Heart Out.” That one stuck with me! 

Anyway, yeah. This was one of those nights where I walked out already planning the next time I will hopefully be seeing this band and bummed as hell that it was over. | Laura Jerele