Arlo Parks was supposed to play her first show in Atlanta at The Tabernacle last June but the COVID-19 pandemic forced tour headliner Hayley Williams to cancel the tour. The show was slated to be a part of Parks’ first U.S. tour.
After more than a year of uncertainty, the London-born singer and poet has finally embarked on a series of shows in this country and will play Atlanta’s Shaky Knees festival in Central Park on Oct. 23.
Fans who crowd Central Park to hear Parks, in addition to the Foo Fighters, Run the Jewels, The Strokes and other artists, will be treated to a setlist of songs that includes the 21-year-old singer’s critically-acclaimed debut album “Collapsed in Sunbeams.” The introspective album received this year’s Mercury Prize award. According to the Associated Press, the panel of judges for the award selected the album because it “captured the spirit of the year,” while addressing “such complex issues as mental health and sexuality with real empathy, displaying a lyrical wisdom that belied [Parks’] 21 years.”
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Speaking with the AJC ahead of a show in Portland about, Parks said her heart was still “full” from accepting the award last month. “The Mercury Prize was a particularly special one, just because that’s a prize I’ve actually kept up with since I was pretty young,” she said. “[Winning] felt to me as if being myself was completely enough and I think that was the most beautiful thing about it. I got to this point without [compromising] artistically.”
Still, Parks notes she’s tried not to make too much of the praise she’s received, adding that she wants to make sure her work continues to be “personal, inward and honest” moving forward. “While that external validation is really wonderful and rare, and it’s something that I treasure, I try not to let it affect the way I create and express myself,” she said. The writer said she’s constantly creating — and dreaming of collaborating with artists such as Frank Ocean and Tyler, the Creator — even when she’s on the road, but she’s also making an effort to soak up as many experiences from her current tour as possible.
Performing album standout “Black Dog” in front of an audience has been a particularly rewarding part of being able to finally perform in front of fans since the release of “Collapsed in Sunbeams,” she said. The song, which hinges upon a simple acoustic guitar loop, finds Parks referring to mental illness as a “black dog.” “It’s so cruel what your mind can do for no reason,” she sings on the song’s hook.
“Every time I sing that one there’s a sort of stillness that descends on the room,” Parks said of singing the song live. “I think because this record came out and I couldn’t tour it for a very long time, the songs really grew roots in people’s lives.”
It’s not just this song that elicits a strong reaction from audience members, though. Parks said she’s been able to have conversations about most of the album with fans during meet-and-greet moments after each show. “It’s been wonderful. These songs are so personal and inward looking and every time I sing them I feel a sense of being held and supported and listened to by the audience,” she said. “Everyone is having their own individual little moments in the room. It’s allowed me to appreciate my own songs in a different way.”
Offstage, Parks says she’s enjoyed wandering around each new city and discovering as much about the local culture as possible, although she admitted she was “overwhelmed” by her first visit to New York recently because of “the energy and just how massive it feels.” She said she’s excited to come to Atlanta towards the end of this month, although she doesn’t know much about it beyond what she’s heard about the city’s music scene. “I’m aware a little bit about the music scene there and artists like Father, Faye Webster and stuff, but other than that I’m just approaching it openly,” she said.
CONCERT PREVIEW
Arlo Parks at Shaky Knees Music Festival
With Foo Fighters, The Strokes and Run the Jewels headlining. Oct. 22-24. $199-$7,000. Central Park, 400 Merritts Ave. NE, Atlanta. shakykneesfestival.com.
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