Lil Nas X must be one of the most unique and unlikely multi-genre stars ever. Being Black and gay in the music industry can’t be easy, but his three-act concert turned play went off without a hitch last night at Orlando’ Hard Rock Live.
The audience of the sold-out show could infer what they were in for before even taking their seats, thanks to a “Playbill” styled handout which featured a breakdown of the show, a setlist of the performance, and all of the flamboyant yet superhero-essque outfits that Lil Nas X would dare to pull off. Starting off the show, with no openers, Lil Nas X promised “You will see me in a play about me, starring me as me, with music by me,” and he lived up to his expectations.
The 68-minute show, complete with eight exceptionally talented male dancers, pyrotechnics, and other-worldly stage design, started off with a bang and only got crazier as the night went on. Lil Nas X, beginning with “Panini” in Act I, emerged onto the stage sporting a black suit of armor, presumably protecting his heart from the melancholy tone of Act I. Lil Nas X made the first act’s vibe clear: “Let’s get a little sad before we turn up for the rest of the night,” he said as he continued with records such as “Tales of Dominica,” “Sun Goes Down,” and “A Visit From A Friend.” Ending his first act with “Old Town Road” and “Rodeo,” Lil Nas X triumphantly mashed the two records together with a hint of remix from the well-known record “Pony.”
Not looking too hard to find any deeper meaning of the song that started as a meme, it’s easy to see that the song’s placement at the end of the act feels incredibly significant. Whether that old town road is a real place or not, it sure did set the precedent for Lil Nas X to ride out the rest of his life more freely.
In Act II, a stronger, more confident looking character emerges in long, black, rippled pants to the tune of “Dead Right Now.” As Lil Nas X swiftly moved across stage, between outfits, and over songs, his stage presence felt surreal and captivated everyone from his true, die-hard fans to those there just to see a show. As he moved over records such as “Don’t Want It’, “That’s What I Want” and “Lost Citadel,” Lil Nas X swiftly changed into a bedazzled, pink, Victorian styled outfit, as he displayed very well practiced choreography in perfect sync with his background dancers. Finishing off his second Act with “The Burial of Satan,” the curtains closed in front of him, and a superimposed silhouette appeared of Lil Nas X kissing one of his dancers. In this moment, amongst a sea of camera phones and ecstatic shrieks and cheers, what became clear is the impact Lil Nas X has had on the LGBTQ space within the music industry. His gyrating hips, flamboyant outfits, multi-genre catalog, and unapologetic attitude has broken the mold of what we know to be a stereotypical industry star and had created a safe space for others like him in the 2,000-person room, packed to capacity.
In his final Act, Act III, Lil Nas X had a setlist packed with upbeat, booty shaking rhythms that had the crowd in chokehold. Beginning the final Act with “Call Me By Your Name,” Lil Nas X had changed into a sparkling, butterfly inspired outfit, with his background dancers sporting mirrored masks and black cloaks. As Lil Nas X moved over records such as “Down Souf Hoes’ and “Scoop,” a butterfly wing contraption was attached to the back of his suit, as the wings moved up and down, motivated by one of his background dancers. At this moment, Lil Nas X took the time to thank everyone for coming to his show and gave a lucky couple of fans the chance to get up on stage and have what seemed to be a twerk contest. Lil Nas X made a conceited effort to choose fans that were in the LGBTQ community, again showing his desire for change in a very discriminatory world. Ending off with a 6-minute rendition of Industry Baby, Lil Nas X had a final outfit change into yet another, pink bedazzled, armored suit. As his dancers and him strutted down the middle of the stage, hands held together amidst a flurry of pink confetti, Lil Nas X had a picture-perfect exit as he bowed and said goodnight.
Enough cannot be said about the dancers and choreography on this tour that genre-blended just as much as Lil Nas X does in his music. Gymnastic hijinks, formal ballet and twerking were combined in a display of the sheer power of the human body. Moreover, the precedent Lil Nas X has set and continues to perpetuate, the power of being yourself and being overtly proud of it, is a generational, paradigm shifting belief especially for those who have felt overshadowed and oppressed, just for being themselves. In true individuality, Lil Nas X is unapologetically him and in using his platform as an artist, has been able to create moments of reprieve for other Black and gay people around the world. In other words, not only was the show immaculate, but the message behind it was more important than anything… Long Live Montero!
