For the second to last stop on his tour, Omar Apollo brought his smooth moves, incredible vocals, and good energy to Mesa, Arizona. Not only was the crowd full of life, Apollo gave a performance that concert goers would remember for a lifetime.
The crowd screamed as the venue went pitch black, signaling the start of the show. Gracing the stage, adorned in a massive fur coat, and flanked by backup dancers, Apollo looked ethereal under the spotlight. ‘Be Careful With Me’ rang through the crowd, Apollo and his dancers hitting every note with precise choreography. It was refreshing to see a stage full of people, creating a full spectacle. It felt like a return to how concerts used to be.
Even in the moments when Apollo was on stage alone, he still danced along to the music. He made the show so fun, clearly enjoying himself on stage which made the crowd enjoy themselves.
“I’ve been on the road a long time. Forgive me, I’m so tired. My hips hurt, my knees hurt, b*tch, but I’m still here singing up here, b*tch,” Apollo told the crowd. “I got my lil drank,” he joked, holding up his solo cup to the crowd as if cheersing them.
“How many Mexicans are here tonight?” He yelled into the crowd, which responded with their cheers. “How many homosexuals we got in this b*tch?” He followed up, the crowd once again cheering their response. “There’s a lot of homosexuals,” he pointed out. After signing a fans glasses, and joking with some fans at the barricade, he announced “We’re gonna do some Mexican sh*t for you.” Then, with two guitar players, his own acoustic guitar, and a cheering crowd, he began singing ‘En El Olvido’.
Crowd participation was encouraged when Apollo held a grito contest. After picking a few people in the crowd, and begging everyone to be quiet, a few lucky fans got to give their loudest and best grito. After one person interuppted, yelling their own grito, Apollo – somehow politely – begged them again to not interrupt. “I love you baby,” he said sweetly. “But don’t interrupt!”
Apollo’s stage presence is a breath of fresh air. He is so mesmerizing and ethereal in moments, while also being so entertaining and energetic in other moments. Whether he was dancing with his entire group of dancers, hitting each movement with a crisp precision, or moonwalking and hitting a street-dance style of the robot, it took the performance to a level of theatrics many other artists aren’t doing nowadays. And his voice is simply stunning, soaring through the open air amphitheater.
Seeing Apollo was a beautiful experience. The crowd was full of so much love and support, and he has so much fun on stage that it is easily infected into the audience. The performance enhances the music, elevating songs from their streaming version into a physical experience. By the end of the show, there was still a buzz in the air from the crowd, some eyes filled with tears, and hundreds of smiles. It was an amazing tour, and a beautiful night.
