Words and photos by Jordyn Lyric
Rex Orange County and his music are sweet, charming, and bright. He puts his entire heart and soul into performances like Monday’s sold-out Fillmore date, where fans watched Rex and his band pour light, color, sound, feeling, memories, and hope out onto the stage.
The crowd wrapped around the square block surrounding the Fillmore, lining up well before the 7:00 door time to make their way to the front of the show. Highly indicative as to why Rex added a second night in Philadelphia— that one sold out, too.
His songs read like an old stack of diaries collecting dust under a wooden bed frame in a childhood bedroom. With a charismatic and honeyed voice, he reminisces on the sweet moments of youth that are worth hanging onto. Rex’s lyrics are relatable, his delivery makes the heart feel fuzzy, and the urge to dance kicks in with full force. He sings like an angel, he dances with enthusiasm and grace, and he’s skilled behind both the keyboard and the guitar.
One of his greatest talents is evoking emotion and nostalgia, sharing his own words in a way that makes you feel like they’re your own. He just happens to do so with musical wit and a talented construction of instruments, layers upon layers that melt together across a candy-coated set on his Pony tour. It seems like no matter what Rex is doing on stage, he’s always doing it perfectly, all of his talents combining in a way that makes his whole performance seem effortless.
As they packed into the rainbow-lit Fillmore floor, fans embraced and held hands, put their friends on their shoulders, and danced their way around the whole venue. The pure, sweet joy was undeniable. I couldn’t begin to count how many perfect moments unfolded, on and off stage, one of which will be secret forever—
Rex kindly asked the crowd to put phones away and sing with him, to share one private moment between the crowd and the artist, one unpublished blip on the radar of a visually stunning, sold-out US tour.
As he wrapped the show before a surprise encore, he graciously apologized to fans for having to finish his set, assuring them he’d be back to Philadelphia soon and asking them humbly if they’d come to see him again. He was met with thunderous applause and cheers, smiled, and wished everyone a safe trip home.
Rex will make his way around North America before foraying into Europe beginning in March, bringing the rainbows, the smiles, and the immense, one-of-a-kind talent with him. When he keeps his promise to return to Philly, be sure to snag a ticket— Rex Orange County is an absolute, one-hundred-percent must-see.
