Joji Live in Chicago: A Raw and Riveting Recap

It’s a nippy October evening and I’m lined up by the Gate 2 entrance of the United Center, taking in the sight of the long line forming behind me as many and I await the show to come by the one and only Joji. To say that I was “just excited” was an understatement. As someone who pleaded with her parents to attend his Chicago concert at the Aragon Ballroom in early 2020 before the COVID pandemic hit the US and waited until news of his current PANDEMONIUM tour, this concert definitely was a core memory I was yet to make since 2020. Thus, the night was young and I was in for a treat.

For those who don’t know Joji, here’s a brief biography about him. Joji is a Japanese-Australian singer/songwriter who’s been an active participant on the internet as his previous Youtuber persona, Filthy Frank, and soon enough for his musician personality as Pink Guy (aka PinkOmega). Joji has solidified his audience from both avenues of his life and has proven time and time again, how talented he really is and how his music changes. He’s known for many popular hits like, “Gimme Love,” “Will He,” and the single that skyrocketed him to fame, “SLOW DANCING IN THE DARK,” earning him Platinum and Gold ratings titles as his melancholic yet sorrowful songs carry the power to move audiences of all ages to feel things they never believed they could feel before. He’s also been accredited with many other accomplishments and awards throughout his years for his work and as such, he continues to prove how artistically creative he is with his latest album, SMITHEREENS.

For this concert, however, there were two opening acts consisting of hip-hop/trap musicians SavageRealm, and Florida-based rapper, Lil Toe. Both served different variations of songs and attitudes with SavageRealm bringing the humor and Lil Toe bringing the heat and angst with his songs like, “Suck My Nuts,” and “Fuck What You Heard.” One notable moment was when the crowd during SavageRealm’s set, sang a rendition of “Gary, Come Home,” with everyone belting out a classic Spongebob song. It was humorous, to say the least as the communication between artists and audience was definitely a vibe. Soon after both opening acts performed, many anticipated Joji to come on. However, the audience (as I did) was caught completely off guard when Kenny Beats came on and performed a set of songs and got the crowd moving and grooving to songs by different artists he collaborated with like Ski Mask the Slump God and continued his set of remixed songs that included, “Just Wanna Rock,” by Lil Uzi Vert, “Fukumean,” by Gunna, “HUMBLE,” by Kendrick Lamar, “Rich Flex” by Drake and 21 Savage, “SkeeYee,” by Sexyy Red, and many more. After bathing in the afterglow of the partying lights and raves, Joji’s performance was yet to begin as a live montage of him engaging in a sexually charged position with a Giordano's pizza box and wearing Bulls’ player Alex Caruso’s jersey. It was a nice touch of his infamous humor that gave a preview of what was to come.

Joji opens up the night with, “Sanctuary,” as the crowd belts out and sings along to the opening song as he is joined with his personal band with alternating heights of lifts and a disco ball dangling on top of them, a small detail from the YUKON (Interlude) music video as I admired the stage decor. As he greeted the crowd, both on the floor and balconies, the place was roaring with excitement. Soon after, he continued with songs, “Yeah Right,” “Night Rider,” “Yukon (Interlude)”, and more. The memorable pauses in-between the songs as Joji and SavageRealm bantered about funny buttons on the keyboard, a direct phone call from supposed Barack Obama to even conducting a live Super Smash Bros game were hilarious to see and the crowd lost it. It goes to show that Joji at his core, continues to have a sense of humor and has implied callouts to his past. Soon after a couple of songs were played, we were greeted with a small pee break timer (perhaps part of his act) to await a surprise setlist under Joji’s DJ persona, Yebi Labs as a small rave-like scene broke out with Joji throwing pink pool noodles into the crowds to shooting free merch from an air cannon to the upper balconies. This was awesome and wild. Period. I have been to many concerts, but this was a special one to say the least. The way I witnessed a small dance circle break out in the middle with many strangers acting like long time friends, definitely changed something in me about my expectations at concerts.

Nonetheless, after all the hype died down, Joji played more songs from his previous albums like, “worldstar money (interlude)”, “Afterthought”, “Will He,” and “Like You Do.” But as good things come, they ultimately have to end as he played the last two songs of the night (per Chicago-enacted curfew), “Gimme Love,” and “Glimpse of Us,” as the encore. His voice definitely shows improvement from when he started as a somewhat amateur musician in 2017, but to see his progression and how far he’s grown, definitely tugged at my heartstrings as I indulged in the last few minutes I had. Like some who attended, I was a bit bummed I wasn’t able to blow out my voice completely singing, ‘SLOW DANCING IN THE DARK,” to hear the sound wave travel through the arena, but it definitely soothes a memory 17-year old me had been waiting years to accomplish. As I’m riding to the nearest Korean bar to soothe my hunger with hints of future voice loss, I can definitely say this concert was one for the books. The concert, as well as Joji, blew my expectations between artists and concert-goers by showing how you don't really need fancy effects to put on a good show. Just some good old tunes and humor. In short, if you’re able to, I highly recommend going to his future concerts for his tour and I’ll indefinitely be awaiting another few years for his next album/tour.

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