The imminent Thanksgiving holiday couldn’t prevent Phoenix fans from packing into Crescent Ballroom for a sold out stop of Hannah Bahng’s Misunderstood World Tour. The Aussie singer-songwriter is forging her own path into dreamy indie pop and bringing her “Blues” along for the journey. She was joined by Mad Tsai for an energetic show that still got everyone home early on a weeknight.
Mad Tsai took his music from online clips to the real world crowd that greeted him by barking enthusiastically and providing somewhat aggressive encouragement from the floor. Dressed to kill in a provocative red top, Tsai wrapped his crowd firmly around his finger during a set that was equal parts seductive and introspective. He spoke about his upbringing, finding his queer identity and running with it through his music- a sentiment that has clearly landed with his devoted fans.
He might still be finding his footing between songs but it’s the music that really had a chance to shine. From the viral (and very cheeky) hit “Stacy’s Brother” to his latest pulsing single “HOUNDSOFHELL”, Tsai kept his audience well entertained throughout the performance. Tsai also threw in an ambitious cover of Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” to complement the energy of his unapologetically flamboyant set, capping off an opening offering that had the room eager for the next act.
Hannah Bahng’s initial foray into the music sphere immediately drew the attention of indie pop fans looking for a fresh perspective. Her youth bleeds into every song, but as the audience is also made up of mainly older teens and young adults, having someone in that age bracket singing to them is not a detriment. Bahng is also still finding her own unique stage persona, giggling at the shouts from the crowd and speaking in a combination of earnestness and slang that might escape the knowledge of any older fans in the room.
Regardless, she put her vocals first, crooning through songs like “Sweet Satin Boy” and “Vertigo”. Backed by a drummer and guitarist, Bahng also took a spin on the guitar before moving over to the keyboard for slower moments, like a cover of Billie Eilish’s “Wildflower”. She also threw in her offbeat rendition of Britney Spears’ “…Baby One More Time” which was a departure from the vibe of her original material.
The fans, for their part, gave all of their energy to the performance, lighting up the room with their phones, participating enthusiastically and dancing on command. One lucky Blue got Bahng’s attention with her sign, coming onstage for a dance party in front of an encouraging house. Ninety minutes later the show came to a close on “Pomegranate” before the earsplitting cheers drew Bahng back out for “Perfect Blues”. With Bahng positioning herself as an indie pop darling, The Misunderstood World Tour captured its crowd perfectly- the next generation of kids who might just be alright after all.
