Written by Gwyneth Gravador | October 1, 2025

On Wednesday, October 1, 2025, Wisp concluded the Texas leg of her If Not Winter tour in Houston, Texas. She performed at Numbers with openers, Temachii and Dream, Ivory.

My life felt like it was about to change when I realized that this would be my second Wisp concert that I would attend. I first saw her perform last year at Austin’s Levitation Festival, where she opened for Panchiko. Since this was Wisp’s first time performing in Houston, and she is one of my all-time favorite artists, I knew I had to be there.

Wisp’s unique blend of alternative rock and shoegaze has always inspired me, and seeing her live for the second time was truly a magical experience. Two nights before the show, I decided to create a small fan project to make the Houston concert a memorable one for her. Even though it was a last-minute decision, and I was swamped with college assignments, I pushed through and made it happen.

For the project, I created 180 foldable notecards containing square pieces of pink paper. My idea was for fans to hold the pink slips over their phone flashlights during her song Mimi so the venue would glow pink as she performed.

Gwyneth Gravador with her signed tour poster of Wisp’s *If Not Winter*

On the day of the concert, my friend Ethan and I arrived at Numbers around 5 p.m. to get in line for VIP check-in. Before entering, we handed out the fan project notecards to fans waiting outside. Everyone looked incredible in dark, dreamy outfits—many wore Wisp merch like I did. My outfit included my Wisp Angel shirt from Levitation, her signature white bow pinned to my pants, and a Wisp photocard holder clipped to the other side.

Because I’m friends with some members of Wisp’s team, and through my VIP merch package, I was lucky enough to receive an “AA” (All Access) badge that allowed me to go backstage and anywhere in the venue. The VIP package included an exclusive merch item curated by Wisp, a commemorative lanyard, early access to merch, venue first entry, and a small Wisp keychain—but the true highlight was meeting the people behind the show. I met Raymond, the tour manager, and Malik, the tour photographer, both of whom were so kind and welcoming.

Meeting Wisp herself felt like a dream. After her acoustic VIP set, she greeted me with the warmest smile, and I gave her two handmade crochet cat beanies—one for her and one for her mom. We took pictures together twice and hugged at least six times throughout the night. She was genuinely kind and down-to-earth. At one point, she asked if we wanted merch and personally escorted us to the booth, saying, “Do you guys want to get merch?” Even though most of the best items were sold out, she made sure we got something, handing me a shirt that said “I <3 Wisp” and signed tour posters for both me and Ethan.

The night began with the first opener, Temachii, who took the stage with a mesmerizing blend of synth loops and pulsing rhythms. Her set opened with floating ambient tones and plucking guitars that filled the venue. Temachii’s falsetto voice poured over the mix, creating an incredible atmosphere that held the crowd in a trance.

One half of Dream, Ivory | Photos by Lorenzo de La Cruz

The next opener was Dream, Ivory, who opened with smooth synths and hazy guitars that immediately drew the audience’s attention. The brother duo brought a blend of shoegaze and dream pop to the stage.

“Houston, what’s up!” they called out, starting an exciting set of new tunes that got the audience swaying.

“This one’s for the lovers—this is for you,” they said before performing their song welcome and goodbye, a fan favorite that caused dozens of phones to light up around the room. By the time they performed Bullet Train, the energy had completely shifted—the crowd sang their lungs out as the band tore through guitar-heavy passages and soaring choruses.

When Wisp began her set, Ethan and I watched from the side of the stage thanks to our All Access passes. The energy was incredible—the crowd erupted as Wisp appeared on stage, bathed in soft lights and waves of smoke. Her voice was hauntingly beautiful, layered over shimmering guitars and gentle synths.

As she began her first song of the night, Pandora, fans—affectionately called “Wispers”—buzzed with anticipation. The venue was filled with dark, aesthetic outfits and Wisp merch. Every song felt emotional, almost otherworldly.

When her fourth song, Mimi, started, the entire venue glowed pink as hundreds of fans held the slips over their phone lights. Seeing that moment from backstage nearly brought me to tears—it worked perfectly. Wisp noticed immediately, commenting on it during her set, and later even shouted me out by name:

“I wanna give a shoutout to my friend Gwen. This next song goes out to her—I don’t know where she is, but she’s probably backstage.”

After that, she performed Serpentine. That shoutout was completely overwhelming in the best way possible. I wish I had caught it on video, but I was too surprised to react.

Her performance was pure emotion from start to finish. The final songs were especially powerful—her voice echoed through the venue as the guitars built up and the lights flashed around. For her second-to-last song, Your Face, Wisp smiled and teased the crowd, saying, “Austin was the loudest—can you beat them, Houston?” The crowd erupted, singing along with full energy as the night reached its peak. Her final song was her iconic Coldplay cover of Yellow, which drew an especially loud reaction from the audience.

After the concert, Wisp met with us one last time backstage. She thanked me for the gifts and the fan project, creating a heartfelt moment I’ll never forget. Even now, I still think about that night and the indescribable feeling of being part of something so special. As we left the venue that night, I couldn’t stop thinking about how weird everything had felt. Temachii’s softness, Dream, Ivory’s intensity, and Wisp’s raw vulnerability combined to create one of the most beautiful live music experiences I’ve ever witnessed. It reminded me of why I originally fell in love with live music and why Wisp’s return to Houston can’t come soon enough.

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