All photos courtesy of Francesca Rayo
Number one: Go to a cheap unknown artist’s concert. That was my one and only non-negotiable on my freshman-year bucket list—and luckily, the opportunity came sooner than I expected. I was just scrolling through West Art’s Instagram page, which I had followed about a week earlier, when I saw it: The Fatal Optimist Tour with the incredible Madi Diaz.
The black-and-white tour video instantly caught my eye—it had that same dreamy, raw vibe you’d find in a Lizzy McAlpine music video. Right then, I knew it would be so worth it. Thrilled, everything seemed perfect—until the date became a challenge. “Tomorrow,” the post said. The student sale, an amazing deal at just $20 a ticket, was ending at midnight. Without hesitating, I made the purchase and decided to spend the rest of the night and next day diving into her new album.
Finally, Friday, October 17th, arrived—the night Madi Diaz would play her fifth show of the tour. Honestly, what better way to spend a Friday night?
Getting closer to the stage by the second, we were surprised with the opener—Clover County—with her folk, country, and modern sound. Her songs ranged from angsty and calm to epiphanic and hopeful. She reminded me of artists like Emma Anderson and early Tate McRae. Her music—new to my own library—sparked an excitement to discover new artists and genres, but most of all, to keep listening to Madi Diaz herself.
Clover County performing as opener for Madi Diaz’s Fatal Optimism tour.
As Clover County’s set came to a close, she performed Angels, a song that unfolded layers of emotion—from the weight of religious expectations to the complexity of teenage life. Amazed by what I had just witnessed, I immediately followed her on Spotify, and my anticipation to see Madi grew even stronger. I couldn’t imagine missing a single second of the show.
About twenty minutes later, Madi walked onto the stage with her playful bangs and Harry Styles–inspired outfit. She opened the show with Hopeless—a song I hadn’t managed to learn before the concert—but that only made hearing it live for the first time even more special. I wouldn’t have traded that moment for anything. Ambivalence came next, followed by the song that had been replaying in my head all night before: Feel Something. As soon as she began strumming the chords on her guitar, I knew what I was about to experience would be life-changing—and I was right. Without a doubt, it was one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to.
As the setlist went on, the songs became a bit less familiar, but the experience only grew more magical. I put away my phone—like most of the crowd—and let the warm yellow light of the lamps embrace the room. When Same Risk started playing, tears welled up in my eyes. Then God Person began, and the tears overflowed. It reminded me of home—of childhood memories and quiet anxieties I thought I’d outgrown. Somehow, Madi managed to capture all my feelings in such a beautiful arrangement of words and chords.Madi closed the funny, warm, and engaging show with New Person, Old Place—only to reveal that she had grown up in Lancaster. Her childhood had unfolded in the very place where I was standing. I felt deeply connected to her words, as if I were living in her past while she sang about her present. Madi Diaz’s concert was a small, heart-warming show that felt like home, and without a doubt, she’s now one of my top three artists.
First-Year Francesca Rayo is a Contributing Writer. Her email is frayogue@fandm.edu.