On Friday, September 27, indie artist, Goth Babe, took the stage in Phoenix, AZ at the Arizona Financial Theatre to put on a truly unforgettable show packed with a colorful, mesmerizing light display, crowd-surfing inflatables, stellar tracks, and plenty of audience engagement. Alt-pop band, The Aces, opened the show and warmed up the crowd performing electrifying tracks like their recently released single, “The Magic”. They eagerly danced all around the stage, giving the audience a dose of energizing melodies and lively harmonies.
Originating from Tennessee, Goth Babe, formerly known as Griff Washburn, played a robust setlist, sprinkling in dreamy pop-rock tracks from their debut album, Lola, released in January of 2024, along with hit singles like “Casita” and “Canary Islands.” Just one week prior, he released a three-song EP titled Oregon Coast on September 20 and surprised fans with a performance of one of the tracks, “Whole World,” during the show. Between the ever-changing lights, catchy tunes, and his always-on-the-move stage presence, every portion of the show effortlessly blended in with the next and took the crowd on a multi-sensory journey.
The evening kicked off with a high energy-infused performance of “Spinnaker Days” that got the crowd ready for a host of surprises to come. During “Sadie,” a track about Washburn’s own adorable Australian Shepherd rescue dog, a game of Mario Kart was live-streamed on the stage from the crowd. Two audience members were selected to represent their side of the crowd and go head-to-head for the duration of the song from the front of house. The song ended and both participants made their way to the stage to collect their medals. At one point in the evening, a cardboard cutout of Buddy the Elf took center stage while Goth Babe started a friendly cheering competition between the right and left sides of the crowd to see which side got to keep the cutout — while the left side won with their cheers, he noted the right side’s dancing was top tier.
Goth Babe went above and beyond in making everyone at the show feel included — going as far as drawing up a tattoo for a fan nestled by the barricade and tossing objects past the pit and into the crowd for fans to claim. This creative use of audience engagement made the show even more of an immersive experience and kept everyone on their toes. His passion for driving authentic connections doesn’t stop when the show ends, he partners with PLUS1, a nonprofit that donates $1 from each ticket sold to support Protect Our Winters, an organization that helps protect against climate change.
Stream Goth Babe's debut album, Lola, along with their latest EP, Oregon Coast on Spotify to hear more upbeat tracks and keep the carefree, summer vibes going well into autumn.
