Twin Shadow

The House of Blues (Chicago, IL) on October 20th could’ve easily been mistaken for a family reunion of Twin Shadow super fans. Joining Neon Trees for 6 dates of their North America Tour, opener Twin Shadow (George William Lewis Jr) brings along Blackpaw (Adrian Rodriguez) to showcase what they’ve deemed the “[Twin Shadow] classics!”.

As the venue opened, the room was immediately full of energy, with fans pouring in for a night of incredible alternative, indie & rock performances. With the room being bathed in a gorgeous mixture of blue lights on the stage, and orange lights that highlight the impressive architecture of the theatre, the mood was set for what was sure to be an exhilarating night of celebrating music. Looking around at the crowd, it wouldn’t take long to notice that many attendees came in big groups of friends and family. That alone set the fun & loving vibe that was felt throughout the room for the rest of the evening.

When the lights went down, changing from bright blue and orange to a flood of purples, blues, and reds, Twin Shadow took to the stage introducing himself and his stage mate, Blackpaw. Beginning the set with a fan favorite, “Five Seconds”, the crowd was thrown into a wave of jumping and dancing. Following that up with a newer single, “Dominoes”, fans were met with an incredible discography display as the two artists truly did browse through some of their classics, as well as showing some new tracks and even some upcoming releases!

TS definitely allowed his personality to shine, not only through his musical performances, but also in the way he interacted with fans throughout the set. We were met with a mix of casual conversations between songs, constant expression of gratitude for Neon Trees for letting them join the tour, and even inside jokes with him and the fans. At one point, TS invited everyone to join them at the merch table after the set if any fans wanted to meet, hang out, take pictures, or even buy merch. Leading that last part with some joking undertones, TS states “...come check out the merch! I love money… Okay, no, I actually don’t love money that much.” which sent the crowd into a burst of laughter.

The set continued in that beautiful space between stunning performances, and casual, intimate interactions. Nearing the end of his time on stage, TS accidentally introduces one of his newest singles, “Half Asleep” with the wrong chords and a swift, “oops, no it’s not” which gave the crowd a good laugh before he corrected the chords and showed us an absolute powerhouse of vocals and musical production. Before sending off with his last song, “Saturdays”, TS made sure to show his genuine appreciation for Neon Trees one more time, expressing immense gratitude and honor to be able to play with them on tour.

The final chords rang through the House of Blues, and the room didn’t stand a chance of having a moment of silence as the crowd erupted into cheers before the song could finish. Twin Shadow’s performance didn’t just feel like an opener, but rather a full-bodied experience that perfectly blended nostalgia and new beginnings. The chemistry between him and Blackpaw brought a dynamic groove to every track, and even in moments of mishap, the set thrived on authenticity. As fans slowly turned away from the stage and back to their groups, all you could see were the brightest eyes and biggest smiles. It was obvious that Twin Shadow had made his mark on the Chicago stop.