A few weeks ago, I had the chance to review Omar Apollo’s new album God Said No, and I quickly realized the US pop artist had seriously flown under my radar. Following the album’s release, the artist has brought his brand of funk-filled dance-pop to Australia for three dates across the nation, allowing me to rectify my erroneous ways. As I joined the queue an hour before doors opened at Brisbane’s Fortitude Music Hall, with a line of excited fans wrapping almost completely around the block, it became clear that my radar needed some serious recalibration. The palpable excitement among the crowd braving the bitter winter cold had me eager to see how the artist would translate his recorded work to the stage.
With the room filling almost as soon as the doors opened, the night’s proceedings were underway quickly. Entering the stage to a rapturous and receptive audience was Melbourne singer-songwriter Forrest Claudette. Armed with their backing tracks and bombastic personality, their pop stylings and energetic performance made up for the lack of a band. The singer spoke briefly between songs about their struggles with being non-binary, engaging in some stilted but endearing crowd interaction.
In contrast, when Claudette had the mic in hand, the transformation into a fully-fledged star was night and day. From hypnotizing several thousand members of the crowd to sway in time or give back on ad-libs, there is a bona fide superstar buried in the sometimes timid singer. Pulling the crowd in and wrapped them up in the singer’s single “2am,” released that day shows the power the artists wields. With the crowd holding two fingers in the air and belting the chorus back, it was clear something big was happening. The well-crafted pop, RnB, and hip-hop stylings of Forrest Claudette certainly proved a great warm-up for the main act.
After a brief interlude, the house lights went out, the stage lights shone, and shrieks projected throughout the packed room in Fortitude Valley. Strutting onto the stage, electric guitar in hand and draped in baby blue, Omar Apollo was equal parts rock star and pop star. From the first few notes, it was clear he could be both.
Opening with a deeper cut, “Useless” off 2020’s Apolonio, Apollo chugged away at his Fender Stratocaster while delivering unbelievably pinpoint falsetto. With a brief issue that didn’t seem to affect the performance, the singer pushed through with a flawless opener. It wasn’t until a small halt following the first song that Apollo announced, “I hope that sounded alright, I couldn’t hear shit! But do you fuck with me Brisbane?” Apollo quipped to the jubilant Queensland crowd. As the applause rang out, the singer kicked into “Killing Me.” Demonstrating versatility, Apollo ditched the guitar in favour of some signature dance moves, much to the rowdy crowd’s pleasure, showcasing his popstar sensibilities.
After brief chats about the release of his new record, the singer launched into “Done With You” off that same record. It was here Apollo wrung every ounce of back and forth from the crowd, ensuring the ever-catchy and undeniably infectious live translation of the song was given time to land. With glee, the crowd reflected the chorus lines, “I’m so done with you, do one with you, done with you, done with you done.” The singers swagger and carefree attitude echoed through the building, creating a real bubble of fun. The atmosphere felt more like a party with friends at Apollo’s house instead of a Friday night show in Brisbane, and it was safe to say early on that the vibes were at a peak.
This was sustained by the absolute magnetism of Omar Apollo. Unable to take your eyes off him, the singer’s aura and undeniable star power were utterly apparent as he spellbound the audience song after song. Between belting ballads, cruising around the stage with a carefree dance to a jazzy soul bop, or chatting like old friends with fans in the crowd, Apollo is something special.
At the midpoint, despite mentions of being jetlagged, the singer appeared unfazed, even slipping quips into his call and responses like, “sing it back I flew 14 hours for this.” Maintaining that sense of humour just before jumping into the song “Invincible,” the artist asked, “We got any Mexicans?” The Mexican-American singer seemed surprised by the reaction, and laughing, suggested, “14? Yeah 14 is enough,” before asking, “We got any gays?” as the hall lifted in cheers. This reminded me, as I looked around, that the intersection of the US singer’s audience is something closer to a spoked wheel, with the artist’s ability to draw fans from a diverse group clearly evident.
As Apollo moved into “Dispose Of Me” from his latest album, he held the hearts of the crowd firmly in his hand. The sombre tune shifted the gears from the otherwise pop-heavy setlist and brought the house to a standstill. It was here that the singer’s voice began to show some signs of wear, but like a true pro, he pushed through until the end.
“I don’t know if it’s the jetlag or the time zone, but I fucked up my voice,” the singer said. “It’s crazy this whole show is based on these two folds” (pointing to his vocal folds). It was here that the singer spent several minutes just vibing with the crowd and chatting back and forth, in between moments of straw phonation, using the straw to generate power back into his vocal cords. After suggesting he’d do two more, the singer ignored this and took up a suggestion from a member of the crowd to play an older song, “Mr. Neighbor.” After showing his guitar player how to play the chords and asking the crowd for the opening lyrics, he kicked into the song to the delight of the crowd.
The ad-lib nature and off-the-cuff vibes towards the close were endearing and earned. Despite a sharp turn from the finely tuned pop show on offer earlier, the audience scarcely could care less. They were enjoying the intimacy of a singer leaving it all out on the stage for no one else but those lucky enough to be there. Acting like a mate just chilling in their lounge room, it was cool to see an artist so transparent, honest and real. It was genuine treat.
Pushing through vocal issues and rounding out the show, Apollo belted his way through “Want You Around” and “Evergreen (You Didn’t Deserve Me At All),” with nothing but appreciation from the audience. Despite a bit of rasp and some barely noticeable loss of sharpness to his voice, Omar Apollo left not a single soul in Brisbane wanting.
As the curtains closed and the crowd filtered out, it’s safe to say that even if God Says No, Brisbane said yes. Making his mark on the crowd, the final show of Omar Apollo’s Australian tour showed that even “errors” can sometimes leave us with more memorable and intimate experiences. I know I wont forget that one anytime soon, and Omar Apollo will be firmly on my radar for a long, long time.
FOUR AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Header image credit: Eloise Coomber – Festivall Hall
