I am more often than not dissatisfied by my experiences at high-tier venues. One qualm, in particular, is how the setup often prevents audience and artist kinship, leaving much to be desired in the unused space and making the performer feel small. However, Omar Apollo was larger than life in his recent show at The Mann, and proved me wrong in every sense of the word. Almost a year ago, I had the pleasure of writing my first concert recap for WXPN during Hispanic Heritage Month, highlighting one of my favorite loud and proud Latinx musicians. Since then, Omar has not only released a new project but has also brought his tasteful production from The Fillmore to The Mann Center—a major upgrade.
Opener Malcolm Todd strummed his electric guitar to his indie-pop tunes last Sunday. As an early 2000s kid, I felt seen when he covered the theme song of my childhood, “Leave It All to Me.” As the sun set, people started filling in the gaps within the crowd. While I observed the crew prepping the stage, I couldn’t help but imagine what I should expect, especially since the new record varies in genres. I was excited for what was to come and how Omar would take over this intimidating stage. He killed me with anticipation as we waited for his very-fashionably-late entrance.
Omar Apollo | photo by Izabella Patrizio for WXPN
Omar is never one to shy away from sharing life’s struggles with fans, especially when it comes to relationships. In his new record God Said No, all 14 tracks dig deeper than he ever has, sharing the nuanced feelings of despair that can come about when love is involved and toxicity takes over. Omar set this story in motion with the album’s first track, “Be Careful With Me,” which begs for care and consideration from another. The lights exposed a stoic Apollo draped in his album cover outfit—a thick, luxurious, and elegant fur coat. As last year’s MET Gala best dressed, he did that title justice. He shed the coat during the transition into an older track, “Useless,” from his 2020 album Apolonio. Under the dramatic coat, we saw the look Omar sported for most of the night, but of course, the changes didn’t end there. Dressed in white from head to toe, he looked like a descendant from heaven, embodying the essence of youthful and foolish love, captured in the first chorus: “I’ve been foolish, think of you all the time, play some music like a harp in the sky, I’ma lose it if you’re not by my side.”
There was no lack of artistic expression. From beginning to end, the theatrics and high-energy choreography, crafted by Omar’s inspiration, Keone Madrid, filled the stage. He shared that stage with six dancers wearing shades of noir—a nod to his previous album, Ivory. The gloomy-colored backup dancers mirrored Omar’s choreography during “Spite,” clarifying Omar’s internal dialogue as he self-awarely masked his conflicting emotions about the relationship, driven by a deep need for validation. He continued this theme in “Done With You,” creating a visual metaphor of separation steeped in vulnerability, with a mic stand used to isolate Omar from the rest.
Omar Apollo | photo by Izabella Patrizio for WXPN
Drummer John Sterling beat at the drums just as swiftly as Apollo reached his high notes on “3 Boys,” and the next thing you knew, he was on his knees, Pouring his heart into the lyrics of “Petrified,” Omar sang, ‘I believe in makin’ up / And I believe in what I fear / Lately, I’ve been able to see more clear / Thinkin’ of you more each day / I’m thinkin’ ’bout all the words you say to me.’ The emotional weight nearly broke the crowd, but the night was far from over. Omar had much more in store.
In “While U Can,” two of his dancers held a white sheet across the stage that took on the color of God Said No’s baby blue hue. It was malleable, transforming into a new backdrop based on its surroundings. In “Drifting,” its dream-pop edge was serene, especially with the sample of Ivy’s “Edge of the Ocean,” where the sheet mimicked the lyrics’ desire for a deep blue sky. Like an Ivy song, they mostly stayed away from electronic instruments, favoring a more organic sound; Sterling’s kit mirrored this in the song, staying away from a drum pad and whipping out 16th notes on the hi-hat, followed by bass thuds. In “Less of You,” bassist Trey Graves layered some synth-soaked notes over the organic drums.
Omar Apollo | photo by Izabella Patrizio for WXPN
“How many Latinos and gay people are out there?” It wouldn’t be an Omar show if he didn’t spice up his modern sound with some classic Mexican Ranchero vibes found on “En El Olvido” and “Dos Uno Nueve,” letting out a few confident gritos in between to give us a wonderful taste of authentic corrido. Omar expressed this, saying, “I’m gonna do some Mexican ass shit right now…” as he strapped on an acoustic guitar and stood between his two guitarists—lead, Oscar Santana, and Graves. The trio went full-on mariachi mode on the songs, strumming as if straight out of a Miguel Y Miguel track.
Philly crowds tend to be less than enthusiastic. Omar threw a little bit of shade at us a few times for not dancing enough, but he also offered encouraging phrases like, “Come on, I know you know this shit,” while bringing out his electric guitar for the popular track “Want U Around.” On the song, the bass lines had deep and sexy undertones, matching the sensual lighting. “You’re barely dancing, but that’s my fault,” he teased. All the short Latinos in the back started screaming “¡Estamos aquí!” so he would notice them. With the way Omar and his dancers were tearing it up on stage, I doubt they even noticed. “This show is completely different from any other show I’ve ever done,” he had said in an interview before the start of the tour. “There’s tons of dancing and theatrical moments and big moments, very silhouetted and very emotional. At the same time, there’s a lot of dance, a lot of energy.” And he delivered exactly that in person. In addition, there were plenty of good banter and relatable moments, like when he casually hit his pen and jokingly said, “Gotta do it, I don’t have a drink up here. Can someone please get me a drink?”
Omar Apollo | photo by Izabella Patrizio for WXPN
I can’t not talk about the use of lights in this show. “Tamagotchi” felt like a party; the dancing went from tactical to free-flowing, and so did the lights, making the atmosphere feel electric. In “Life’s Unfair,” a round lamp swung around the stage, and in “Against Me,” the dancers held flashlights, which went from white to red to the all-too-familiar blue, as Omar showed off his rapping skills. In the back half of the song, the dancers shined the lights on him as he pushed each individual light away. It was quite emotional, but we weren’t ready for what was to come. The album’s last track, “Glow,” is a heart-wrenching poem that just makes you want to crumble. It’s a Simon and Garfunkel-meets-Frank Ocean love child in a song and was equally visually stunning. Omar stood in the eye of the hurricane as white cloth-like material swirled around him. At the end, a dancer handed Omar a piece of the swirling fabric, which he raised thoughtfully before letting it go, all while the comforting ad-lib of his mom played softly in the background. This poignant moment captured the emotional depth that I’m sure Omar himself felt while writing the album. I couldn’t help but let my emotions take over; it wasn’t just this song but the entire album that felt so deeply personal, making you feel as if you’re experiencing every high and low right alongside him.
But Omar wasn’t about to leave us on a low note. After we had all shed our tears, I screamed so much to get him back on stage that I thought my lungs might give out. Fortunately, they held out long enough for me to sing along to a fan-requested encore of “Go Away.” It was the perfect cap to the night, leaving the crowd buzzing. Clearly, God said yes, because Omar delivered one of the best performances I have ever seen.