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Photo By Tara Bolar
Indie-pop singer Rex Orange County took fans on a colorful journey through sunflowers and cartoon clouds at the Chicago stop of his Pony Tour.
Rex took over the sold-out Aragon Ballroom on Monday night in promotion of his most recent album, Pony.
The stage was set up as a lush green grassland covered in sunflowers with dreamy clouds floating in the back.
Starting off the night, Rex made his way over to the piano to tease the audience with a minute long slowed down version of his song 10/10.
After a build up of anticipation, Rex and his band switched up the pace and continued on with the more up-beat and authentic version of the song.
“Sometimes you gotta cut a bitch out,” Rex sang as the crowd chanted the lyrics back at him.
The elaborate lighting began to pick up at this time as orange and red lights illuminated the clouds and strobe lights illuminated the audience.
Opening up with 10/10, a song about Rex taking control of his emotions in order to live a happier and healthier life, prepared the audience for a night filled with personal and tender lyrics.
In between songs, Rex made sure interacting with his fans was a top priority of his. His down-to-earth persona mixed with that charming English accent made it impossible for anybody to not want to be his best friend.
Photo By Tara Bolar
As the crowd jumped around and sang their hearts out, Rex decided to give them a moment to slow down and breathe as he pulled out some more heartfilled pieces.
With a dramatic red curtain fall during Pluto Projector, Rex commanded the stage all on his own with only his voice and a keyboard.
Making the audience teary-eyed, the singer played Every Way, with lyrics such as, “You know I’m troubled, but I know you can understand / no one prepares you for the way in which things change / I cry in front of you, and it’s very necessary, babe.”
Switching over from his piano to his guitar, Rex gave an admirable performance of his song, Corduroy Dreams.
With a fun reaction from the crowd, to hearing him sing, “don’t call me daddy, ‘cause that’s just f***ing weird,” to his impressive whistle solo at the end, Rex appeared to be at his best when stripped down to just him, his guitar, and the support of his fans.
Transitioning into another segment of high energy, Rex and his band kept up the theatrics of the Pony Tour by revealing a giant silver cartoon pony on stage accompanied by manic rainbow lighting and confetti while singing a fan-favorite, Never Had The Balls.
The crowd went wild.
Photo By Tara Bolar
Coming close to the end of the show, Rex played three of his most popular and beloved songs back to back, Sunflower, Best Friend, and Loving Is Easy.
If you ask any Rex Orange County fan how they discovered his music, they will most likely mention one of the three (Best Friend was the one that got me hooked).
The excitement in the room was palpable as Rex sang Sunflower and the sweet sound of saxophones traveled throughout the venue.
During Best Friend, Rex encouraged the audience to put their phones away and soak in the music.
Loving Is Easy brought the atmosphere to a groovy place as fans swayed around and danced with one another.
Closing out the Pony Tour, Rex performed It’s Not The Same Anymore, an extremely important song about his struggles and journey with mental health. “I’ve spent many months just hating on myself / I wish I didn’t need to get help / I wouldn’t wish this on my enemy or anyone else.”
Though throughout the first half of the song Rex hits on the darker parts of mental health, towards the end we gladly hear what sounds like a path to recovery, “I’ve learned so much from before / I’m doing this for myself / It’s better, it got better.”
The Pony Tour felt like home for fans. The wholesome stage setups. The authenticity from Rex. The warmness of the music. Rex gave the audience a feeling of hopefulness during a time when we all need it the most.
Video By Tara Bolar
Rex Orange County’s Full Setlist:
10/10
Laser Lights
Face to Face
Never Enough
So Far So Good/Television
Stressed Out
Pluto Projector
Every Way
Untitled
No One – (Alicia Keys cover)
Corduroy Dreams
Happiness
Never Had The Balls
4 Seasons
It Gets Better
Sunflower
Best Friend
Loving Is Easy
It’s Not the Same Anymore
Always – (Encore)
My name is Tara and I put out articles for UIC Radio on whatever day I can. I’m a media communication and professional writing major at the University of Illinois at Chicago. I host a pop music show, PopTara, on UIC Radio every Wednesday from 8:30pm-10:30pm. If you want to keep up with my manic life you can follow me here:
twitter – @phemebot
instagram – @tarapheme
facebook – @PopTara
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