Maggie Rogers’ pop-up show at Paradise Rock Club left Boston fans going on and on and on about the singer-songwriter.
The folk pop artist brought her fans together Tuesday to celebrate the release of her new album, “Don’t Forget Me.”
Rogers announced the pop-up shows last week — in New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Chicago — with tickets only available on the day of the show at the respective venue’s box office. Fans who lined up also had a chance to buy advance tickets for Rogers’ upcoming arena tour without the usual surcharges and extra fees.
Last year, Rogers toured in support of her previous album “Surrender” with three nights at Boston’s Roadrunner — but she’s scaling up to TD Garden for her October performance in Boston.
“Come buy a concert ticket like it’s 1975,” Rogers said in an Instagram post. She also sold tickets in person for her last tour in an effort to “combat bots and reduce fees.”
Frustration over bots and fees has increased dramatically in recent years, with fans accusing Ticketmaster of charging excessive fees and complaints that scalpers game online sales to scoop up tickets and resell them at substantial markup.
Annie Lupien and Lila Drewes showed up at 5 a.m. to purchase tickets for the show and were pleased with Rogers’ sales method.
“I think it’s so awesome,” Drewes said. “Trying to stay away from the bots and everything and seeing us in person, it just makes you appreciate the live music instead of just what they’re selling.”
“Her presence, and stage presence is so amazing,” Drewes added. “But also just how she interacts with everybody, just she’s so genuine and she makes you want to listen to her music and to support her.”
Alexandra Irausquin lined up before 6 a.m. to buy tickets for Tuesday’s show and said it was worth the wait.
“Ticketmaster is so competitive,” Irausquin said. “I know so many people who've gotten wait-listed for so many shows and I think bringing this back is like the most fair way to do it. I think it gives back more back to the fans. It makes it a more intimate relationship. It helps you connect with the music more.”
Irausquin was also impressed by Rogers’ low-cost, no-fee tickets. The Tuesday show cost $25, and she managed to snag tickets for Rogers’ upcoming show at TD Garden for $40.
“I’m just really excited to be in a room with people who are like such massive fans,” Lupien said before the show. “I've heard people waited in line to see her for ages ... so, it’ll be nice to just be in a space where everyone’s really invested.”
Rogers graduated from Harvard Divinity School in 2022 where she studied spirituality and the power in pop culture and public gatherings. That work has come to fruition with her recent shows, bringing together her most devout fans to celebrate their love for her music.
And Rogers had love to give back. Hours before the show, she walked along the ticket line outside the club, greeting everyone and taking photos with fans. She even paid the tab for pre-concert drinks at Cheeky Monkey Brewing Co. in Fenway.
“Pre show brews on me” she wrote in an Instagram story.
The show itself was intimate. Despite “Don’t Forget Me” being released just four days before, fans belted out the lyrics to songs like the rock-heavy “Drunk” and the whimsical “It Was Coming All Along.” Rogers also welcomed on stage friends she met while living in Cambridge, the band Sidebody, as an opener.
Rogers played through the entirety of the new album along with taking requests from the audience for songs like “On + Off” and “Back in My Body” — in exchange for them sharing a piece of gossip with her.
“If you are in this room tonight it means you got up incredibly early this morning,” Rogers said. “I’ve been thinking all day about how bizarre it is that I named this record ‘Don’t Forget Me’ and coupling that with the absolute amount of love and care and community that I feel in this room.
“This record and these songs are so vulnerable and so, so real,” she continued. “I just, from the bottom of my heart, want to say thank you for making me feel safe enough to be able to say these things out loud and know there is a safe space for all of that to be expressed and held and connected.”
