On a chilly November night in Columbia Heights, inside the intimate venue, The Atlantis, electrifying energy was brewing for Odie Leigh—and when the Louisiana native took the stage, she doubled it.
As anticipation for Leigh was brewing, opener Angela Autumn entranced the audience with delicate strings played live and mystical yet occasionally devastating lyrics of songs like “Waltz About Death” (2024), “Dancer” (2022), and her most recent release, “Sage Bundle” (2024). Autumn performed solo but had a remarkable presence, capturing the crowd with her whimsy and kind smile. Exiting the stage, the crowd bubbled with chatter and suspense for Leigh’s arrival.
30 minutes later, suspense turned to screams as Leigh took her place underneath the spotlight.
Promoting her debut album Carrier Pigeon (2024), Leigh opened her set with the powerful closing track, “My Name on a T-Shirt.” Styled in a disco-esque neon look and rhinestone tears, Leigh, accompanied by her band of three, settled within the ecstatic vibe and glowing lights immediately.
A large tapestry sporting Leigh’s name and signature pigeon graphic, as well as colorful Owala water bottles designed for each member of the band adorned the otherwise sparse background set. The head of the bass drum added to the authentic garage-band vibe, with a simple “Odie Leigh” crafted with white electrical tape.
After playing a few pop-punk, high-energy tracks from the album, the band retreated behind the curtains, leaving Leigh alone in the white spotlight. At this point, the energy shifted from the high-intensity romance of Carrier Pigeon (2024), into the folksy and vulnerable acoustic pieces of Leigh’s earlier singles and EPs How Did It Seem to You? (2022) and The Only Thing Worse Than A Woman Who Lies Is A Girl Who’ll Tell Truths (2023). This transition to somber memories and failed relationships started with “Chutes and Ladders” (2023), which she revealed is about “a man [she] never even dated, but ruined her life.” In between songs, Leigh shared anecdotes about the importance of playing these vulnerable songs solo—she wanted to to reminisce on the rough times in her life that initially spawned these pieces.
Heart-wrenching lyrics accompanying songs like “A Month or Two” (2022) and “Double Shift” (2023) brought Leigh into the burgeoning fame. Despite experimenting with her signature sound through the pop-punk beats and tender lyricism of her more recent releases, she hasn’t abandoned her roots, dedicating nearly half of her set to her old hits, most of which were performed solo.
Leigh doesn’t just value intimacy within her songs, but also up on stage with her fans, having revealed a tour-only song, which she admits will “probably never be released” due to her fondness for special exclusive moments. The song, written about her conflicting emotions during her first small tour in Los Angeles, acted as a full-circle moment now being performed to an enamored audience on the other side of the country.
Shortly after playing “Crop Circles,” (2022) the viral sentimental single that put her on the map via TikTok For You pages, Leigh’s band rejoined her to play tracks of all emotions, old and new like “Ronnie’s Song” (2021), “Party Trick” (2024), and “Bigger Fish” (2021), effortlessly combining both eras of Leigh’s work under the vibrant instrumentals of her live performance style.
The magic of an Odie Leigh set is undoubtedly her stage presence. With call-and-response elements, singalongs, and—believe it or not—a mosh pit, The Atlantis spent the whole night bursting with an orchestra of musical spirit which Leigh flawlessly conducted.
Leigh’s encore closed the show with “Take Back” (2022), a tradition for ending her performances. The song, from her EP How Did It Seem To You?, discusses taking back one’s time from the intrusive subjects that occupy it, whether it be a lover, parents, school, or anything else one wants to reclaim power over. Leigh, taking in the moment, guided the crowd through the song, slowing down the final chorus to feel the time as it flowed.
Leigh and her band fluidly traversed through genres, emotions, and stories, culminating in a beautifully genuine yet insanely energetic set. If one could rewind time, there would be nowhere better to spend it than with Odie Leigh.
