Phoebe Bridgers announces phone-free UK shows for Lost Weekend
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Phoebe Bridgers has announced a run of small, phone-free UK shows to coincide with the release of her third solo album, ‘Lost Weekend’. The concerts mark her first solo London performances since 2022 and form part of a wider promotional campaign that also includes album listening events and release parties.
The eight shows will take place from 17 to 21 August in London, Kingston, Brighton and Bristol, with a matinee and evening performance at each venue; each set is expected to last about 45 minutes. ‘Lost Weekend’ is released on 14 August via Dead Oceans, following 2020’s ‘Punisher’, and includes contributions from Lucy Dacus, Julien Baker, Christian Lee Hutson and Jack Antonoff; devices will be secured in Yondr pouches at the gigs.
- Bridgers will play eight intimate UK album-launch shows.
- All performances will be phone and recording-device free.
- Her third album, ‘Lost Weekend’, arrives on 14 August.
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Phoebe Bridgers is an American singer-songwriter known for understated indie rock songs that often deal with relationships, grief and anxiety. Her 2020 album Punisher brought her wider international attention, while she has also worked with Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus in the group boygenius.
Lost Weekend is her third solo album and follows several years in which Bridgers has balanced solo work with collaborations and other projects. Dead Oceans is the independent record label releasing it, and Jack Antonoff and Christian Lee Hutson are musicians and producers who have worked with many prominent pop and indie artists.
Phone-free concerts usually require audience members to place their devices in locked pouches for the performance, so they cannot record or use them inside the venue. Yondr is a company that supplies this system, which some performers use to limit filming and encourage audiences to focus on the show.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters argue that phone-free shows can restore the intimacy and attentiveness of a small live performance, allowing both the artist and audience to be fully present. They may also reduce unauthorised recording and online spoilers around new material, while Yondr pouches preserve access to devices in an emergency. The approach reflects a view that a concert is a shared, temporary experience rather than content to be documented throughout.
The case against
Critics argue that concertgoers who have paid for tickets should retain control over their own phones, including the ability to take a personal memento or remain easily reachable by family, work or carers. They may see compulsory pouches as inconvenient and potentially exclusionary, particularly for people who rely on their devices for accessibility, communication or reassurance. From this perspective, encouraging phone etiquette would respect the desired atmosphere without imposing a blanket restriction.
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Originally published by NME as “Phoebe Bridgers announces intimate phone-free UK album launch gigs”.