BoyWithUke blurred the lines of imagination and reality on stage during the May 3rd show of his Lucid Dream tour at the iconic Terminal 5 in New York City.
The Lucid Dreams tour celebrates BoyWithUke’s newest album. Lucid Dreams was released on October 6th, 2023, via Mercury Records/Republic Records/Universal Music Canada. Lucid Dreams encompasses BoyWithUke’s journey thus far, musically, mentally, and emotionally. The album explores and weaves together a variety of genres, including alternative, pop, and electronic elements, to craft the unique sound in each track. The album features some of BoyWithUke’s most emotional pieces of work like “Migraine,” “Homesick, and “King of Nothing,” which fans got to hear during the night.
The 2nd and 3rd floors were filled with fans of all ages, from children in the single digits to their parents, one of whom fans later found out was 55 during the show. It was one of the most diverse crowds to date, yet it was a sight to see children enjoying live music at such a young age, with their parents supporting them.
As fans clamored and waited for BoyWithUke to step onto the stage, a chess game appeared on the monitor. The fans cheered after each move. Is there lore? Fans aren’t sure; so far the only speculation that has been confirmed by BoyWithUke himself is simply that he just likes chess.
As the final move was made, leading to victory, the screen went black, signifying the start of the night. Fans sang along to “Lucid Dreams”, originally sung by Juice WRLD, which transitioned into the beginning chords of “Lucid (interlude)”.
BoyWithUke jumped onto the stage with high energy from the start, the eyes from his mask especially striking and luminescent. The colors on stage flashed vibrantly in red and orange hues, with the screen behind him playing visualizers reminiscent of those from Windows Music Player. The bright colors, shapes, and patterns illuminated the stage and crowd, fitting into the theme of the night of bringing surrealism to life.
Further pushing home the theme of bringing dreams to life, BoyWithUke took his mask off during the middle of his set, exposing his face. The mask he wore, which also doubles as a microphone, was part of the lore during BoyWithUke’s debut as no one knew who the face behind the mask was. By revealing his face both on October 11th, 2023, and onstage, BoyWithUke, also known as Charley Yang, allowed fans to witness and connect with his journey more intimately.
The setlist made sure to highlight the Lucid Dreams album, making sure to include “Problematic, “Rockstar,” Camouflage” and “Bad Things” on the night’s setlist. However, he could not forget to include other songs that brought him to this stage like “Two Moons,” “Toxic” and a crowd favorite, “IDGAF.”
During a brief intermission, BoyWithUke went “fishing for fans” with the jeopardy theme playing in the background. From stage right appeared a male fan who could also play the ukelele like our main act of the night. Fans came together as they clapped and stomped together on collaboratively chant and sing “We Will Rock You.” The song reverberated throughout the venue with young and old voices blending for a fun moment.
After fans enjoyed “Homesick,” BoyWithUke convinced fans that the show was over early, leaving lights off and staying off stage as fans chanted his name for more music. From the back, fans could hear “Do you want to hear unreleased music? Can You Feel It?” Fans enjoyed two unreleased tracks, “Can You Feel It?” followed by “Ghost.”
The night took a small joking detour as he performed “Buy My Merch,” and fans sang along, laughing, already holding merch in hand.
Fans enjoyed “Before I Die” before the final song of the night, the real final song. After the crowd settled, BoyWithUke took a moment to speak to the crowd and express what this tour and moment meant to him. He had a heart-to-heart with the audience, “Long story short, life sucked. I must’ve been ten and I was thinking to myself, will it ever get better? But New York City,” he paused, “It gets so much better!”
The final song he played for the night was a song he changed to suit mainstream radio, but that night, it was played acoustically the way it was meant to. BoyWithUke ended the night the way he started his career, just him and a ukelele singing “Trauma.” Towards the end, it transitioned into the released pop-track version to which fans cheered, danced, and sang.
As the final chords of “Trauma” echoed through Terminal 5, the Lucid Dream tour came to a close with a wave, a goodbye, and a “Thank You New York City!” BoyWithUke’s ability to blur the lines between imagination and reality, both musically and lyrically, combined with the unwavering support of his diverse fan base, made this an unforgettable memory. With the unveiling of two new tracks and BoyWithUke’s candid authenticity, he has set the stage for whatever comes next on his dreamlike journey.
Fans can stream Lucid Dreams on all streaming platforms.
