BY TER STAFF
Moments ago, Los Angeles pop-punk band Hey Violet performed for a sold-out crowd at Chicago’s Subterranean. Currently on their first headlining tour in North America, after touring the country last summer with 5 Seconds of Summer, the emerging artists have been enjoying the success of their breakout single ‘Guys My Age’, while taking their music on the road before Ren Lovelis and company bless fans with their debut release.
Getting things started for the night was singer Jessarae, performing for a Windy City audience for the first time in his young career. The LA native opened with his track ‘Stand In The Rain’, and he was instantly met with screams throughout the crowd, from his new fans who quickly lusted after his voice, bleach-blonde hair and his Ed Sheeran-esk talents on the loop pedal. Jessarae delivered a half-hour set, which includes his songs ‘No Warning’, his new track ‘Don’t Honey Me’ and a cover of Drake’s ‘One Dance’. Jessarae certainly made friends with his audience, taking time to greet the crowd, give backstory to his songs and he even stopped his performance to sing Happy Birthday to two fans celebrating their 16th and 20th birthdays. Needless to say tonight will likely not be Jessarae’s last performance in Chicago.
Soon after Jessarae stepped off stage, the crowd began to cheer as Hey Violet descended from the Subterranean’s notorious spiral staircase. As Rena, Miranda, Casey, Nia and Iain took their positions, fans raised their hands to the sky, making a sea of sharpie X’s throughout the all ages crowd. Hey Violet opened with their 2016 track ‘Brand New Moves’, and although the SubT is certainly not Chicago’s largest venue, Hey Violet sold-out the intimate club with their biggest fans, who could recite the lyrics throughout the band’s entire set.
Following up with performances of ‘Pure’, a brand new track ‘Consequence’ and ‘I’m Holy’, Ren took time to give a special introduction to the band’s track ‘Odd (O.D.D.)’. Lovelis told fans that the track is one of the band’s most important songs and that everyone should learn to embrace their differences, a message that ‘Odd’ captures. Throughout the night Hey Violet performed a collection of their songs, which are all relatively new, since the band is still on the verge of their debut album, which has yet to be announced.
Hey Violet also paid homage to Chicago by taking notice of its great food. While previously mentioning that she had never had a bad time in Chicago, Lovelis corrected herself by saying she once has a bad time in Chicago because she ate so much great food that she “food coma-ed out”, which the rest of the band added really isn’t a bad time at all. Throughout the night Lovelis was more than personable while interacting with her audience.
The highlight of the night though came towards the end of Hey Violet’s set. After a cover performance of Katy Perry’s new single ‘Chained To The Rhythm”, Hey Violet performed their huge breakout single, ‘Guys My Age’, a track which still is getting a ton of play on the radio with no signs of slowing down. Soon followed by a performance of a fan favorite, ‘fuqboi’, Hey Violet closed the show on a high note and left the crowd wanting more in the best way possible. Although the band’s roughly 45-minute set made the night go by quick, no one left the Sub-T without their money’s worth, and when Hey Violet returns with a new album or EP to perform, you can surely expect tonight’s crowd to return as well.
Check out our photos from tonight’s performance below, and be sure to catch one of the remaining dates on Hey Violet’s North American tour here.
Photos by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration
Hey Violet
Jessarae
The Early Registration 