Allie X: The Weird World Tour at the Vic Theatre.
Anyone could attend an Allie X concert and be thoroughly entertained, even if they’d never heard a single song before.
Allie X at the Vic, taken by Arianna Lafontant.
On November 23rd, 2024 I turned 22 and went to see Allie X at The Vic Theater. With its elevated floor and standing area, The Vic is one of the best venues in Chicago. From every seat in the house, attendees have a great view of the performer. The sound is amazing, enhancing Allie X’s vocal performance throughout the show.
Before Allie X came out, none other than Violet Chachki opened the show. It was Chachki’s first tour doing her own live vocals, and she sounded great. Alone on stage, Chachki’s stage presence was off the charts. She did a total of four songs, including a fun costume change for each track, and kept the crowd engaged the entire time. The Chicagoans appreciated her artistry, making her the perfect opener for Allie X. After the set was done, and while we waited for the main event, Chachki sold merch and held a meet and greet for the people who bought their own, which was a nice touch. She had a long line, which was just another indication that she was the perfect opener for the show.
At 8:30, the time came for Allie X to start her performance. When everyone was expecting her to come out, a sort of court jester came out instead, wearing a white mask and an old-timey, puffy hat. They moved across the stage in a weird, almost animalistic way, stopping abruptly at moments, doing so completely in silence. The mask and their strange movements certainly disturbed the crowd, and I heard an audience member behind me say “I’m scared. What is happening?” Then, another person with a mask vertically on their face entered and threw out a handful of masquerade eye masks into the audience. This person then went to the right of the stage, where a soundboard and a bass were, as another person with the same mask went to the left with the guitar. Then the lights changed, the music began, and another jester was escorted in by the first jester. However, this third jester turned out to be Allie X herself, wearing a mask on the back of her head. She sang the first song, “Bitch,” facing the back of the stage, with the mask facing us and a spotlight on her. And this is when I fully comprehended what “weird” meant in The Weird World Tour. In spite of—or perhaps enhanced by—this weirdness, the concert that followed was absolutely superb.
Allie X played the keyboard herself, an artist fully connected to production. She even played the tambourine! Her band consisted of two people, one on the guitar and the other on bass/soundboard. The environment was intimate. When she sang “Galina,” she stripped down the first part, turning it into a moving ballad between artist and piano. She sounded beautiful. “Fresh Laundry” was my favorite song of the set. Her vocals were clear and crisp, simultaneously sounding like an angel and a siren. Allie X stayed at the mic the whole time, making the song feel enclosed and personal.
About halfway through the set, Allie X brought out Violet Chachki again. They sang “Mistress Violet,” which Chachki had sung earlier by herself. Allie X's vocals elevated the song, adding necessary color to the track and serving as an essential component of its musicality.
The crowd was enraptured. In her song, “John and Jonathan,” Allie X sings, “When I’m on stage, they all cheer for me,” and the crowd roared in response. And when she sang “Super Duper Party People,” the crowd sang along emphatically to the parts of the song with a talking cadence. Allie X even told a funny joke before the “closer” about artists having a secret encore that everyone knows is going to happen. “You know, I’ll go off stage, you’ll cheer really loudly, and I’ll come back.” The relationship between her and the audience was extremely clear, reflecting the strong connection Allie has with her fans.
The “fake closer” was “Off With Her Tits,” which is my favorite song off Girl With No Face. Allie then came back with “Girl of the Year,” “Paper Love,” and “Casanova,” songs that have a different sound from the rest of her setlist and solidified the show’s whole production. “Casanova,” in particular, had someone jump out of their seat in excitement.
Overall, The Weird World Tour was one of the best concerts I’ve been to all year. Allie X’s vocals, command of the stage, and skills as an instrumentalist place her above so many others on tour right now, and as an artist in general. I hope everyone has the chance to experience this tour for themselves!
edited by Samuel Espinal Jr.
photo taken by Arianna Lafontant.
