Going to concerts alone isn’t necessarily something that I normally do. However, when I do go to a concert alone, I have to really love the artist so I know I’m able to go and simply enjoy their music, even when I am by myself. Rex Orange County was the perfect artist for me to see by myself. Rex Orange County is British singer-songwriter Alex O’Connor, who makes music with a blend of genres ranging from jazz, hip-hop, bedroom pop, and R&B. O’Connor first released music in 2014 on Soundcloud and Bandcamp as Rex Orange County at the young age of 17 years old. From his album, Apricot Princess, and collaborations with artists such as Tyler, the Creator, Rex Orange County has gained global popularity, headlining festivals, selling out tours, and creating hit songs. Rex Orange County became a phenomenon and gained a new fan: me.
It has been about seven years since I first discovered Rex Orange County, so you could say that seeing them live was a long time coming. I attended one of five nights at the grand Beacon Theatre on Oct. 11, and it was amazing, to say the least. I arrived about 30 minutes ‘til 8 p.m, since that was when Rex would take the stage. However, he ended up coming on at around 8:30 p.m. I couldn’t afford merch, so I just sat in my seat, anticipating when O’Connor would grace the stage. When he finally did, it was with his song “Alexander,” which is about both his physical and emotional pains. The first time he sang into the mic, I remember questioning if he was lip-syncing because of how identical he sounded to his studio recordings. I knew he’d obviously sound similar, but there was no wobble or breathiness in his voice; it was perfect. I compared the studio version and the live video I took with my friend, and even she was shocked. I knew from that very moment that this show was going to be astonishing. The vocal talent was so clear, especially when O’Connor would riff and change a note in a song – it always sounded angelic.
Besides his vocal talent, what also shocked me and the audience was how genuine O’Connor seemed as a person. Every time he spoke, it felt directed towards the audience, but never at us. He made every interaction feel conversational, and even made it personal at times. During the second song of his set, “Therapy,” he came out into the crowd and interacted with people. He emerged from the side door of the theater that was closest to my seat, and from there, walked through the entire crowd. He was waving, saying hello, and shaking hands, all while flawlessly performing a deeply personal song. It was very refreshing to see an artist interact with their fans as if they were normal people, which I think should always be the case. One of my favorite interactions during the show happened a little later on in the segment, when he played a cover song and an older song of his. O’Connor makes it a point to make each show as unique and special as possible for each audience member. So, even if they come to another show, it’s never exactly the same thing. He does this by playing a different cover every show, and surprising the crowd with an old song that didn’t make the main setlist.
O’Connor played my favorite cover he’s ever done, “No One” by Alicia Keys, in honor of Keys being from New York, which was really special to me, because I’ve been listening to a recording of when he first performed it on Soundcloud for years. After this, it was time for one of his old songs, which was the title track from his second studio album, called “Apricot Princess.” He explained that he met this girl named Alyssa, who told him that she was going to the New York show on Oct. 11, and asked him to play the song because she loves it so much. After explaining this, O’Connor dedicated the song to her, making the theater erupt in cheers for both the song and how genuine the story was. My other favorite part of the show was during Rex’s most popular song, “Best Friend.” There’s a breakdown at the end of the song, which is widely agreed upon among his fans as the best part of the song. Before playing this specific part, O’Connor asked everyone to turn off their phones, “So it can be just us, together, as human beings.” He proceeded to explain that he, “didn’t want us to turn our phones off so we couldn’t record the best part,” but instead, talked about how if no one records it, then it will be this intimate thing that only the people in the room will have been a part of, thus making it special. And it did. I put my phone away, danced, and sang to the most hyped part of the song with a group of strangers, and I’ll never forget that moment. There were so many other special moments like this throughout the show, but these were the ones that stood out the most to me.
The encore and final song of the show will forever be a core memory of mine. I love the song “Pluto Projector” from Rex Orange County’s album Pony, so much so that I consider it to be one of my favorite songs in the entire world. I remember when I first heard it, I thought it was so breathtakingly beautiful that I said I wanted it played as I walked down the aisle of my wedding. So, as you can imagine, hearing it live was almost an out-of-body experience for me. It was the final song played, and it contains an emotional strings section that went viral on the internet because of how good it was. The strings section played as O’Connor went around the front row, thanking everyone, shaking hands, and waving to the crowd. He also thanked his fans and his band a bunch of times during this part, and throughout the entirety of the show. It was such an authentic and beautiful moment between humans just enjoying each other’s company. There were people kissing their partners, some were crying, and others were smiling and packing their things to beat the traffic exiting the venue. However, I found it to be one of the most heartfelt moments I’ve ever witnessed at a concert.
If you’re ever looking for a show full of intimate songs with amazing lyricism, incredible vocals, and authenticity between the artist and the audience members, then Rex Orange County would be the perfect show for you. I loved every part of it, especially the personal connections O’Connor made clear throughout his performance, from admitting to messing up, to laughing at things the audience shouts out and replying, to walking through the crowd. These are not things that you see at the average concert nowadays, but I found it extremely refreshing. It’s always nice to see an artist live that you’ve been a fan of for a long time, and O’Connor of Rex Orange County did not disappoint. If you can, stop by the “Finally Tour” starring Rex Orange County. I promise it won’t be anything short of astonishing.