Nep at Crowbar
Crowbar, Tampa, FL | February 25th, 2026
Written and photographed by Anna Joy McFarland
The evening started out with a line wrapped around Crowbar in Historic Ybor City in Tampa, Florida, all ready to see Nep on her Florida Girl Goes To… tour. A fan came around the corner to everyone who lined up, handing out a paper sign that said “WE WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU ALRIGHT!!!!” to everyone that joined the line, explaining that it was a fan project to hold up during the song “I Will Always Love You Alright.” Everyone was buzzing with excitement as they were let into the venue.
The show started with opener briZB, an indie pop-rock artist from North Carolina. She laughed that she was skipping classes to join Nep on tour, which the crowd cheered her on for. The absences would be well worth it, as many in the crowd fell in love with her dreamy storytelling through her songs, including myself.
Opener: briZBIn the break between sets, the crowd grew even more. People were going between merch and waiting anxiously in the crowd. As soon as the lights came down again, people started cheering, which got louder as Nep skipped onto the stage. Nep has such an infectious energy that was immediately present as soon as she was on stage. There was constant smiling and laughing in between songs; she joked with the crowd about the energy drink she had that was hitting her, but it was clear that she loves what she’s doing and connecting with the fans through her music.
It was special for both the fans and Nep to be at this show, as she kept calling the crowd her “Florida Girls.” People from Florida know that not many artists come down here, so to not only have an artist that you love but also one that represents being from Florida is really special. This sentiment was shared by fans who were singing along and dancing with their friends throughout the venue, and even giving Nep multiple handmade gifts relevant to songs or inside jokes.
Nep played a mix of some older songs from her first album, nep’s storybook, and her recent album release, Noelle. Some of my favorites from the show was getting to see “Biketoberfest” live, which I’ve been obsessed with for months, and Marmalade, which Nep explained was one of her first songs to really go somewhere, as well as getting to see the “I Will Always Love You Alright” fan project come to life.
For those who like indie music, whether it’s more singer-songwriter or the rock type, you’ll enjoy Nep, and especially if you are also a Florida Girl.
