Article and photos by Sam Short
The 24-year-old Blu DeTiger needed nothing but her vocals and her notorious bass to charm every single person standing inside Metro on Tuesday night. The audience was restless as we awaited her presence onstage for the fifth night of the Blu Detour. Blu stepped out onto that stage and you could feel the love we all shared for her. When I looked at the crowd I could see the vast range of her fans: standing to my left was an 8-year-old who was excited about her first concert and to my right was a 45-year-old who knew every word of Blu’s songs.
Chicago native Adan Diaz took to the stage as the first opener for Blu DeTiger. He came out playing “ripped jeans” and the crowd swooned over his warm and inviting lyrics, heavily influenced by his surroundings. When he started singing “black & mild” I instantly felt 17 again. He made me feel nostalgic and I could picture myself driving in the middle of nowhere with my friends in the car. I’m incredibly eager to see where his growing career takes him. When Diaz walked off stage and Tiffany Day’s drummer, Ross Murakami, started to set up the crowd settled. This didn’t last very long seeing that Tiffany started the second opening act with nothing but excitement when she sprinted on stage! Once she started moving she didn’t stop. I swear she jumped around even when she sipped her water. She was an extreme delight to watch perform. Day played her newest single “Dreams abt optimism” and raised the energy of the audience by having us jump up and down with her. I missed her the second she stepped off stage.
The lights dimmed so the crew could set up for Blu and synth-pop music played overhead. Suddenly people were pouring in to see her. She started off her first headlining show in Chicago playing “Crash Course” and everyone started dancing. I couldn’t imagine a better venue for this performance. The intimacy and charm of the metro allowed the audience to make memorable connections with Blu and her band. The use of her bass was absolutely mesmerizing. I had never seen or heard anything so effortless in my entire life. It was as if the bass was made only for Blu DeTiger. When she started to sing “Tangerine” I facetimed my younger sister and turned my phone around. Because I was hanging onto the barricade Blu saw my sister on the phone and waved to her and moved around the stage to bend down and sing to her. My sister and I have been obsessed with Blu for years so this made my entire night.
Towards the end of the show, Rex DeTiger on drums and Horace Bray on guitar were introduced and played solo sets showcasing their skills. As they would play, Blu would jump in and add to the sets, allowing the audience to see how well they supported each other. Before her closing songs “Figure it Out” and “Vintage,” Blu asked the audience if anyone knew how to play bass. Joe Cox yelled out to her and she brought him up on stage. She handed him her bass that was in the corner of the stage and they went back and forth, bouncing off each other. He was a natural, and it felt like this wasn’t his first time being pulled on stage. When he was finished Blu thanked him and gave him a hug before letting him return to the crowd. Getting to hear “Vintage” close out the show was exhilarating and intoxicating. When she left the stage, I was in disbelief that I had just witnessed such a breathtaking performance.
The next stop for Blu and her band is The El Rey Theater in Los Angeles. The Blu Detour was hands down one of the best experiences of my life, and if you ever have the opportunity I highly recommend seeing her live!