Alice Phoebe Lou performs at The Fillmore in San Francisco on April 12, 2024. Mariana Garcia/STAFF

SAN FRANCISCO — South African singer-songwriter Alice Phoebe Lou performed at The Fillmore on Friday, supporting her fifth album, Shelter.

Lou kicked off the set on her acoustic guitar with “Halo,” “Shine” and “Open My Door,” from the 2023 album. Much of the set consisted of Shelter songs, with others coming from throughout her decade-long career, with an emphasis on 2021 album Glow. Attendees sang the words right back at her.

“Haven’t felt that volume of lyrics coming back at me for a while” Lou said.

At one point, Lou invited support act Sam Burton onto the stage to perform a cover of Gordon Lightfoot’s “Early Morning Rain.” Backed only by Burton’s playing acoustic guitar, the duo’s melodies combined for a beautiful interpretation.

As she and her backing quartet performed “Something Holy,” off 2019’s Paper Castles, for the first time on this tour, the crowd seemed to light up. Other highlights included “Lover / / Over the Moon” and “Dusk” from Glow and the title track from the 2023 album.

Lou brought the show to a close with her hit “Witches” and intense banger “Dirty Mouth.” The upbeat melody of the former tune echoed loudly through the room, with fans singing along to the hook, “I’m one of those witches, babe/ Just don’t try to save me ’cause I don’t wanna be saved.”

Salt Lake City singer-songwriter Sam Burton opened the concert with a 30-minute set of solo acoustic songs, playing both guitar and piano. His performance, which included material from 2023 album Dear Departed (such as soft piano tune “Pale Blue Night”) and 2020’s I Can Go With You (the later of which he released on San Francisco indie label Tompkins Square), was heavy on balladry and melancholy.

Follow photographer Mariana García at Instagram.com/marianagphoto.