The first time I saw Odie Leigh live in concert was April 2023 at the Foundry in Philadelphia. Donning ripped jeans and a tank top, she took the stage alone with two guitars, a microphone and a black folding chair. When she began to sing, it was as if a spell had been cast over the room. Equipped with effortless charm and a voice that simply begs to be experienced live, Leigh’s set turned me from a sporadic listener to a true-blue fangirl.  

Since that night, I’ve listened to everything Leigh has released, from her 2023 EP “The Only Thing Worse Than A Woman Who Lies Is A Girl Who’ll Tell Truths to Carrier Pigeon,” her debut album from 2024. Prior to seeing her in concert last November, I got the chance to interview Leigh. During our conversation, I asked what fans should expect at her concerts. She described her shows as “quirky, fun, and sassy.” Keeping this in mind, my friends and I headed to the Sinclair in Cambridge on Nov. 10, eager for a stellar performance and a good time. 

Massachusetts native Charlotte Rose Benjamin opened the show with a sweet and sentimental performance. Both Benjamin and myself observed that the crowd was particularly high-spirited, dancing along to her songs with an energy usually reserved for headliners. I took this as a good omen for Leigh’s set –– one which proved to be correct. 

This time around, Leigh’s all-female band took the stage ahead of her: drummer Grace Goodman, bassist Kaitlyn Gerdau and guitarist/keyboardist Taylor Wafford. Then, to uproarious cheers, Leigh emerged from backstage in a neon green halter top with shimmery silver shorts and matching fishnet tights. At the beginning of her set, she asked the crowd to shout out their names, a request we gleefully obliged. Despite the bigger venue and more elaborate production, it was clear that Leigh’s lovable, down-to-earth personability hadn’t diminished. 

Her setlist included both old and new songs, from her 2021 “Thelma and Louise”–inspired ode to friendship, “Ronnie’s Song,” to “Carrier Pigeon’s” lead single “No Doubt.” About halfway through her set, Leigh’s band left the stage, leaving her alone with her guitar once again. 

“I’m gonna do a few songs alone, for old time’s sake,” she told the audience. As Leigh’s captivating voice washed over the Sinclair, I was once again in awe of her ability to foster beautifully intimate moments. The crowd gently swayed and sang along, many turning to serenade the friends or lovers beside them. 

The audience’s liveliness remained consistent throughout the evening, peaking especially when Leigh’s band returned for the set’s electric conclusion. Prior to “Sheep Song,” Leigh explained that Grace Goodman, the band’s drummer, suggested that what these shows really needed was a mosh pit. Whether or not it was a joke, Leigh agreed, and instructed the crowd to open up a circle pit. As the band launched into song, we flooded the now-vacant section of the floor. I’m not sure if what we did was a mosh pit –– maybe more of a dance pit or jumping up-and-down pit. Regardless, it was a blast, and I certainly danced more than I have at any other indie-folk show.

For the encore, Leigh played “Take Back,” the same song she culminated her set with back in 2023. Before she began to sing, she shared its origins: the song was born from a time when she worked all day and went home to a person who made her feel terrible. Her time, she then realized, should belong to her and nobody else. “We’re going to reclaim that time, right now, together. I want you to scream it!” she urged us. And so we did — chanting the cathartic refrain  –– “I’m gonna take back some of my time, I’m gonna take back some of my time” –– as Leigh sang with a smile I could hear.

While Odie Leigh’s musical stylings have shifted considerably since I saw her in 2023, her concert at the Sinclair proved her elegant growth as an artist. Bearing witness to her trajectory has been an incredibly rewarding experience, and like so many others in the crowd that night, I wait with bated breath to see where she brings us next.

Contact the editors responsible for this article: Norah Catlin, Ivy Buck