Choker’s first ever show review

I would just like to preface this by saying that if you plan on attending a later stop on this tour and don’t want to have the experience ruined by knowing the setlist in advance, don’t read this. I am aware that, in response to being asked by a fan if they could post the setlist online, Choker advised against it and said that he would rather have everyone be surprised.

Read my review on Filling Space here.

“I go on YouTube, and during live shows, I see people get mad at others for singing along. But if you know a song, why wouldn’t you wanna sing it, right?” Choker said, as he pulled up the mic stand and transitioned into a heartfelt performance of “Juno,” a beautifully constructed slow jam that fans naturally felt obliged to echo with voices of their own. Even without the help of the prominent, pitched-down vocals that appear on the studio version, Chris was perfectly able to replicate the inherent beauty of the track in a live setting as he displayed his angelic vocals. Personally, I sang along as much as I could throughout the concert, especially during the more accessible tracks like “Juno,” but as I told my friend, I find it hard to memorize the lyrics of many Choker songs, as they’re so nuanced in the way they’re presented in their studio form. I imagine some other members of the crowd felt the same way, as the room had a tendency to fluctuate within the volume spectrum. Nonetheless, the show as a whole was as rewarding as it was sonically pleasing. The venue and atmosphere reminded me of the first Kevin Abstract show I attended at a bar in Oakland. Despite being sold out, it was a small and intimate outing at San Francisco’s Brick and Mortar filled with some of Chris’s earliest fans, who were hungry to not only hear him perform for the first time ever, but also to feed off said performance by singing and dancing along whenever they could, shouting out words of support, and ultimately setting the tone for the rest of the Help Yourself Tour.

The show opened with a DJ set performed by graphic designer and Choker affiliate, Tyler. Building anticipation to the moment we would finally lay eyes on the man we came for, Tyler played a set filled with electro-house remixes of hits like SZA’s “The Weekend” and Calvin Harris’s “Slide.” Eventually he played the backing track of what the crowd recognized as Choker’s “Suzuki Peaches.” From behind the curtain, Chris bursted on stage dressed in a unique look that commanded the attention of our fervent eyes. Sporting contrasting dangly earrings — which he got multiple compliments on — a yellow crop top, a pair of motocross pants, some classic Nike Cortez’s, and an exceptionally pretty face, he was a treat to look at for the next hour or so. The crowd may have been minute in its size, but it showed its undying, passionate enthusiasm as Choker ventured through the next few live iterations of his songs, which included “Drift,” “Starfruit LA,” “Kiko,” “El Dorado.” “It’s my party, I can shine like a starfruit,” and “You lied about that El Dorado / They got me for that grand theft auto,” were some of the more popular lines to repeat from these tracks. “El Dorado,” being the standout track from his breakout project, was particularly well-received, and it was one of my favorite performances of the night, as I thought it was one of Chris’s most vehement vocal exhibitions.

Following “Juno” in the middle of the set, which was filled with a slew of tracks from Peak (2017) to Honeybloom (2018) to Filling Space (2019), Choker performed a new track that he said he had finished the previous day. It was reminiscent of some of the stuff on Filling Space, specifically songs like “Gradient,” in that it was sweetly melodic and heavy in charming synths, yet catchy and easy to groove to. Despite what he perceived to be a merely “okay” performance of this track, he followed it with his first live rendition of “Petrol Bliss,” which he thought was “incredible.” This was one of the few songs that the whole place seemed to know, if not for the verses, then at the very least the earworm “I bliss out when I need that confidence in my life,” which the bouncing crowd sung in tandem with the main man on stage.

For the rest of the set, he continued the motif of playing songs from all three of his albums in no particular order, ultimately comprising a setlist somewhat representative of the chaotic structure of his music. Chris played nearly the entire five-and-a-half minute runtime of “Lush,” each moment building suspense toward the pulsating drop that occurs in the final minute. Following the song’s drop, in the outro, he provided some of the show’s most impressive vocals while bringing the closing Whoas and Yeahs to life. The final four tracks seemed to form two couplets of complimentary songs. “Gradient” and “Starfruit NYC” are among some of his most danceable and catchy. “Diorama” and “Rocket” ended the set with their unusual, sporadic compositions. “Rocket” was a particularly sound closer, in that the repetition of the calming harmonization of “understood” tied the whole experience together.

However, while I was perfectly happy with most of the setlist — and the way Chris performed it with his amazing stage presence, charisma, and vocal ability — I was slightly surprised (and admittedly a little disappointed) that he didn’t play “Lucky,” which I consider to be one of his best songs to date. A few other dedicated members of the crowd must’ve felt the same way, as I heard some hopeful chants and requests to play the song when he announced the show was coming to a close. Nonetheless, given the wide array of sounds present in his discography, I would not be surprised in the slightest if it ends up getting played later in the tour.

After the set, Chris hung out at the merch booth, greeting any and every fan that wanted to interact with him. While waiting in the crowd of eager faces, I overheard people in front of me tell him how inspiring he is and ask questions like “what is music to you?” Choker responded with wholehearted graciousness and thoughtfulness, and more than willingly gave out pictures and signatures. I got the chance to speak with him and let him know that I was writing perhaps the first concert review ever done on him, so if you’re reading this, thank you. It was an amazing show, and you’re an incredible talent.

Article and Photos by Anthony Vega