If you’ve never attended a concert, choose Rex Orange County for your first one. Rex Orange County just began his theater tour, “Finally.”
I went to the third show of the tour — in Chicago — on Oct. 5, and it was spectacular. This was my second Rex Orange County concert, the first being in 2022 when Rex did a stadium tour. I remember that concert being one of the best I’d ever been to, but I was blown away by the theater tour. The venue, The Auditorium Theater in Chicago, Illinois, is a beautiful six story theater that gives the vibe that you’re going to watch Romeo and Juliet in the 1940s. I was up on the sixth floor, but Rex was sure to give a great show for people not only in the front row but the nosebleeds as well.
He started the show off with the first song of his new album, “Alexander.” I believe there was no better way to start this concert. He had an actor on stage dressed as a doctor while he performed this song with the curtains closed, starting the show off slowly. Once the song was over, he ran into the crowd on the first floor to perform his second song on the album. This was awesome to watch, and, though I didn’t have the best view, I liked seeing other people’s reactions to one of my favorite artists singing right next to them.
Once the curtains opened, fans were met with a beautiful set. There were giant wood walls that would open up to reveal different landscapes for different songs. The show emphasized nature, and they even had fake snow falling on stage for part of the show.
Towards the third-quarter mark of the show, similarly to his last tour, Rex Orange County had everyone in the crowd turn off their phones to be in the moment for one song. This song is one of his most popular, “Best Friend,” and having everyone turn their phones off made the crowd ten times more hype.
Rex Orange County put on a great show, upping his game when it comes to stage presence since his last tour. With such a small venue compared to other big artists, he was able to be close to the crowd. I also think with how small the crowd was, everyone there was genuinely a Rex Orange County fan. The people around me all sang together, and, per Rex’s wishes, they didn’t have their phones out the entire time. I spent about $50 on my ticket, and it was 100% worth the money. People were present in the moment, and Rex Orange County gave the same energy back.
