On June 4th, I went to the famous Hollywood Bowl to watch Rex Orange County perform for a sold out crowd. With over 17,000 people in the audience, this show solidified Rex’s success throughout the years.
The crowd was filled with Gen Z teenagers who came in colorful outfits paired with many versions of the iconic Doc Martens. There were so many dedicated fans, with one even holding a poster that read “I missed prom to come to this concert.” He certainly got a lot of attention from other fans who smiled and acknowledged his sign, reassuring him that he made the right decision. Fans sported merch from his recent album, with many shirts, hats, and sweaters that read “WHO CARES.” Fans waited in long lines to purchase merch from the tour.
The stage was set with a black backdrop pictured with a large cartoon sun and moon. The anticipation with the crowd was strongly felt. Everyone sat in anticipation waiting for Rex to come out and perform. The crowd was a little confused as while we waited, many rap songs were being played; not exactly the same type of music as Rex. It was pretty funny, and many people questioned and joked about it.
Rex finally came out in an all white outfit and the crowd instantly roared with excitement. The curtains opened up to reveal a big neon sign that read “WHO CARES?” along with the thumbs up props spread across the stage in different colors. He opened the show with “MAKING TIME,” a song from his most recent album, “WHO CARES?”. He explained that this was the biggest crowd he had ever played for, and with a sold out show, he knew that he made it. It was evident in his eyes as he stood up on stage and just experienced the moment, the fans, and his success.
The fans were ecstatic, and the excitement was certainly felt throughout the entirety of the show. Rex was also extremely happy and excited to be there performing. Throughout his entire set he was hyping up the crowd, yelling at everyone to scream louder and to give it all they got. The crowd certainly gave that, if not more. He was dancing and jumping up on stage really feeling himself and the music. As a member of the crowd, I think everyone could tell that this really is his passion and he enjoys sharing his talent with the world. There were many special moments shared between Rex and his fans throughout the show.
Later on in the show, he decided to surprise the fans who were sitting in the nosebleeds. Before the show, there was a mini stage set up for him to sing on. He walked off the stage and went up to the nosebleeds and sang the first song he ever wrote, “Corduroy Dreams”. He even did the iconic part with the whistle as everyone swayed along, arms wrapped around each other. He had fans standing up on their chairs to see him perform up there in the stands.
This show was special because Rex sang a variety of songs from four of his albums. It did not primarily focus on his most recent album, but made sure to include songs from all albums. The songs that he sang from Apricot Princess were incredible. He sang “Happiness”, “4 Seasons”, “Untitled” and more from that album. He even brought out his opener Benny Sings to accompany him in the song they wrote together, “Loving Is Easy.” The crowd loved this one as well and sang and danced to every word. “4 Seasons” also had the fans amped up and dancing to the beat.
His band was very talented. With many solos throughout his set, Rex cheered them on each time he introduced them in the song. They played beautifully and won the crowd over.
When he sang “Sunflower,” he asked if anyone was in love mid-song and that omitted a lot of screams and cheers from the crowd. Many happy couples were present during his show and dancing with each other, it was sweet to watch.
Towards the later half of the show, Rex asked if everyone could put their phones away. He explained how this was a moment between him and the fans in the room. Everyone listened and put their phones away to hear him sing. He played one of his most known songs, “Best Friend” and every person was singing, screaming and dancing simultaneously. The stage was glowing and set with rainbow lights. The props also changed from thumbs up to flowers that lit up like disco balls. This was a special moment that I will never forget. As the crowd danced and jumped to the color changing set, it felt like there was not a single problem in the world. At that moment, it was just Rex and thousands of happy fans.
It is honestly difficult to explain how magical his entire set was. He closed the show with “Pluto Projector” and in the bridge and outro of the song, fireworks began to go off at the Bowl. It was such a beautiful moment with Rex’s voice and his band playing alongside him. The fireworks mirrored the beauty of his voice, the music, the fans, and just everything in general. Many people were left in tears (including me). An incredible experience shared with Rex and thousands of people, an unforgettable moment for many.
This concert is going to be difficult to top, but all I know is that I will definitely be seeing him in concert again in the future. Definitely one of the top moments of my life so far. The set list was a perfect mix. He is an amazing performer and if I had to rate the show I would give it a 10/10.
