On November 16, 2022, I had the opportunity to see Remi Wolf live at her last show on her North American tour. Even though I only knew Remi’s top songs like “Sexy Villain”, “Photo ID”, and “Disco Man” when I was given a free ticket, my significant other and I decided to go check her out. A good time is a good time. The ticket was given so last minute that I had just finished a meeting at school before heading over to Jannus, St. Pete’s downtown outdoor venue, with my significant other. Originally set to play St. Petersburg back in September, this show was rescheduled because of Hurricane Ian. As I waited, I heard some fans expecting the concert to not be as good since it was rescheduled. They thought that Remi would be too tired to give her all at the last show. I personally had no idea what to expect. I didn’t know much about her stage presence or how she interacted with fans and other musicians. I mean I hadn’t even seen a music video of hers until just a few minutes ago. This was also my first concert at Jannus, so I had no idea what to expect upon going in. Despite the few fans conversing about whether or not the show would be good, most of the people waiting in line were excited for Remi, dressed in their most eccentric outfits. It was so beautiful to see. Neon colors, bold makeup, and good vibes were seen in people all around me. Wearing only a sweater and jeans, I felt underdressed but was still excited to see what the night awaited.
When gates opened, the line moved quickly as we made our way through security, scanned our tickets in, and checked out all the booths surrounding the walls of Jannus. We bought a slice of pizza, settled into a corner near Stage Right and waited for people to make their way in. What started out as a scattered crowd quickly turned into a packed crowd. As people filtered in, the gaps between me and other people disappeared. All around me, people were chatting with each other complimenting each other’s outfits and talking about their favorite Remi songs. It was as if they knew each other even though they had just met that second. As someone who isn’t really social, I observed the aura around me until the opener came on.
Opening up was Remi’s previous bassist, Maddie Jay. Alongside her was Elle Puckett playing guitar. Jay’s soft vocals filtered through the room with funky beats reminiscent of Clairo and other soft indie female artists.
Usually, openers help set the mood for the rest of the show. They get the audience ready for the main performer as they also introduce us to their music. After Maddie Jay finished her set, we waited in anticipation for Remi. Sometimes the crowd would chant “Remi, Remi” over and over in hopes she would come out. When she didn’t appear, the crowd would talk amongst themselves. Finally, when her band made their way onto the stage, there was such a drastic difference in the air. Heavy guitar and drums played, pumping our heartbeats faster and faster as we all waited for Remi to make her debut on the stage. Starting off with “Liquor Store” I didn’t expect the mood to flip 180 degrees from Maddie Jay. Don’t take it lightly when I say Remi started off with a bang. She made her way all over the stage with so much energy. She jumped around the stage, greeting the crowd from all angles and hyped us up. This energy stayed throughout the whole show. From one song to the next. When Remi talked, she explained that by attending her show we signed what is known as a “Concert Contract” in which there are rules.
- Don’t be scared. These rules aren’t scary.
- Dig through the grooves of your brain and find any song lyrics of mine that you remember and sing it out loud with me.
- Wiggle your fingers in the arm and bring them down to your hips. Feel your hips and move them around too.
After explaining the Concert Contract Remi continued her performance cracking jokes with the crowd, singing and dancing throughout the stage. One of the most memorable experiences was her switching positions with her drummer in which she played drums, and he chanted affirmations eventually finishing off with “Dua Lipa Christmas!” A random, yet welcome and fun interlude in her setlist. It became clear from the start, Remi and the band all had great chemistry and brought out the best in each other while on stage. She even jokingly revealed she had a sexual relationship with her bandmate but figured she liked him better as a friend and now bandmate.
Overall, Remi Wolf was such a transformative experience. To see her and her band live causes her songs to breathe more life. Although they can lyrically sound “weird” as Remi says herself, they are well written for anyone looking for a good time or maybe because “we’re all a little weird too.” If you ever have the chance, you should go see her because her energy on stage, the loyalty of her fans, and the message of confidence and individuality she relays in her songs will truly get you to see life in a new way.