Just last year Rex Orange County (born Alexander O’Connor) made his major-label debut through Sony Music with Pony. Today, the English singer-songwriter keeps selling out shows in support of the album. For his second tour stop of "The Pony Tour," Rex stopped by the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, CA on Jan. 10 (Note: The singer also performed at the Shrine the following night).
Just one look at the singer's earnest persona and crooner vocals and you'll end up falling in love. Rex's heart-on-his-sleeve ballads are a breath of fresh air, so different and personal. Especially his new album, Pony, which highlights the personal struggles of his newfound celebrity status. The night opened with a performance of “10/10,” the first song from the album. Rex stepped up his production game for this tour, giving all of us in attendance an awe-inducing immersive experience. For the first half of the show, the scenic stage was set with white flowers, grass and a sky covered by cartoon-like clouds. Rex Orange County led a five-member band that featured horns and a rhythm section. I'm glad he chose to incorporate a full band as it definitely highlighted the rich instrumental sound of his music.
For those people who prefer a more intimate performance, curtains eventually dropped and Rex delighted fans by going solo for a few songs. He showed off his skills as a multi-talented musician by singing, whistling and playing multiple instruments including the keyboard and guitar. Songs during his solo performance included the emotional track “Every Way” and a cover of Grease's "Hopelessly Devoted to You."
After the track "Happiness," the curtains went up again and Rex kept the theatrics going by unveiling an entirely new stage filled with colorful rainbow lights and a giant pony cartoon front-and-center. The singer then proceeded to perform the highly infectious song “Never Had The Balls” and surprised the crowd with a blast of confetti. To make sure his fans enjoyed the night even more, Rex asked the crowd to put away their phones and be in the moment during his performance of “Sunflower.”
He continuously thanked the audience for all the support and ended his set with “It’s Not The Same Anymore.” The crowd didn't want the night to end and broke into chants in hopes to see him return for one more song. The plea was successful as he returned to play “Always.”
For more on Rex Orange County, visit rexorangecounty.com
Full Band
10/10
Laser Lights
Face to Face
Never Enough
Television/So Far So Good
Stressed Out
Pluto Projector
Solo
Every Way
Untitled
Hopelessly Devoted to You (Grease cover)
Corduroy Dreams
Happiness
Full Band
Never Had the Balls
4 Seasons
It Gets Better
Sunflower
Best Friend
Loving Is Easy
It's Not the Same Anymore
Encore:
Always
