FLETCHER’s live album, ‘THE ANTIDOTE: FLETCHER LIVE’, is an immortalisation of a momentous night for the artist and her fans. Recorded during the ‘In Search of The Antidote Tour’ at her sold out show at New York’s Radio City Music Hall, it contains live performances of tracks from her 2024 studio album, ‘In Search Of The Antidote’, as well as other hits.
The album opens up with ‘Maybe I Am’; a 90 second intro of echoing electric guitar staggered with loud drums, before FLETCHER begins to croon softly and the music slows down to allow her vocals to shine through.
‘Hi, Radio City!’ is a recording of one of the speeches FLETCHER made at the concert. “I have dreamt my whole life about playing Radio City Music Hall”, and then shares that she had her college graduation in the same venue, earning a loud response from the audience. She gets tearful but says, “I promise I’m also gonna be a bad bitch and it’s not gonna be tears the whole time”, maintaining her well-known IDGAF attitude.
At the beginning of ‘Ego Talking’, someone in the crowd screams “we love you”. The inclusion of speeches and these little outbursts from the audience makes the album feel more human. This sets it apart from other live albums which would usually cut these parts out. ‘Shh… Don’t Say It’ starts off with a loud guitar riff and slips into a more delicate verse. This is a sensual, moody performance, and the sound of the crowd chanting along in the bridge enhances the track.
FLETCHER’s ‘girls girls girls’, which is a reimagination of Katy Perry’s ‘I Kissed A Girl’, sounds even better live, with the instruments and her band members’ talents adding to the song. ‘Guessed We Lied’ is a rocky rendition of a powerful and angsty song. The instruments drop off during the bridge to let the audience’s singing through, which makes for a touching moment. A powerful performance of ‘Bitter’ pairs vengeful lyrics with plaintive guitar.
The rock version of ‘Undrunk’ makes the song sound louder and angrier, with its fast choruses and shouty vocals. In contrast, the original studio recording of the track has a poppier but stripped-back sound and melodic vocals.
Before playing ‘Eras Of Us’, FLETCHER gives a heartfelt speech about following your goals, letting the crowd know that their dreams are “valid and worthy”. The song is slower and quieter at the beginning, with finger-picked electric guitar and angelic vocals, which lead up to an explosion of music as FLETCHER belts out the lyrics.
‘Antidote’ is a sincere performance with soaring choruses and gentle electric guitar. This is my personal favourite from the album, as it showcases FLETCHER’s vocal abilities and the talents of her band. It’s the last song before the encore, and the end of the track contains over a minute of the crowd screaming, clapping and whistling for FLETCHER to come back. This makes the album more immersive, leaving the listener feeling as though they are actually inside Radio City Music Hall.
The encore consists of brooding track ‘Doing Better’ and 2022 single ‘Becky’s So Hot’. The latter is the last song on the album, and is a captivating rendition of the song. The crowd’s singing is loudest during this performance, capturing an emotional and special moment between FLETCHER and her fans. There is a moment in the middle where the music stops, as the crowd screams and claps loudly for FLETCHER. This, along with the guitar solo makes it the perfect way to finish the album.
‘THE ANTIDOTE: FLETCHER LIVE’ is available to listen to now on streaming services or buy via FLETCHER’s store.
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