Narrow Review - Rex Orange County LIVE
The Narrow Review...
Rex Orange County, live!
By Peyton Lescher
On a stage full of sunflowers, animated clouds, and green pastures, Rex Orange County brought “The Pony Tour” to a sold-out show at the House of Blues in Orlando. The singer held the audience’s hearts in his hands as he opened the night with one of the many hits from his 2019 album Pony- “10/10.” While the crowd sang his passionate lyrics, the lighting changed from color to color, matching the vibe of each song perfectly.
As the night continued and the energy remained at a consistent high, Rex checked in with the audience multiple times to ask how they were doing and if they were enjoying the show. The audience’s applause and exclamations of joy and encouragement pleased him, and he continued into other hits like “Laser Lights” and “Television/So Far So Good.”
Moving from songs full of instrumentation into ones of a more intimate feeling, a curtain suddenly dropped, hiding the band and leaving the singer alone on the stage. With minimal lighting matched with Rex’s emotional lyrics, he opened this portion of the show with “Every Way.” Eyes closed, the singer captivated the crowd with his romantic lyrics and somber piano playing. The audience was then brought along on his personal journey of “Face to Face,” his last single from Pony. Holding his chest with his fist shut, the singer allowed his experience of feeling trapped in undesirable situations to translate to his fans through song. As he let his vulnerability shine through, Rex crossed the stage to stand at his keyboard as he continued to sing directly to the crowd in “Stressed Out.”
Although the energy was seemingly unbeatable, the crowd continued to prove otherwise during one of the singer’s most popular songs. Rex stole his own show with his performance of “Corduroy Dreams,” where multiple calls and responses were initiated. Nothing, however, prepared the audience for the singer’s stellar whistle solo at the end of the song.
The crowd’s energy hit an all-time high during a fan favorite, “Never Had the Balls” as the curtain disappeared, revealing the band members in their new attire - Mickey ears! During the entirety of the tune, the audience was lit up by rainbow colored lights that perfectly matched the beat of the song. At the climax of the song, confetti cannons shot off and the audience was covered in colorful confetti as Rex’s guitarist performed his jazzy solo.
One lucky audience member who held sunflowers up to the sky gained the attention of the singer when he asked her to toss the bouquet on stage as he began to play another favorite - “Sunflower.” Fans sang every word and waved their arms from side to side, per Rex’s request.
At the first strum of an opening chord, the crowd erupted in applause and excitement for the upcoming song. After asking the audience to put their phones away during a portion of “Best Friend,” to honor those that could not be at the concert, the singer had the entire room dancing and hanging on to his every word. During the intimate moment between him and his fans, there was not a single person that did not have a smile on their face.
Rex Orange County closed the night with an encore performance of “It’s Not the Same Anymore,” as his fans cheered on both him and his band. The singer talked of his plans to return to Orlando and ensured that he would see the crowd again someday. In his final exit of the stage, he waved goodbye and wished the audience happiness and peace in whatever future endeavors lie ahead.
