REVIEW: Welcome to Duckwrth’s ‘All American Freak Show’ + Upcoming Tour
REVIEW
REVIEW
☆ BY TIFFANY LE ☆
THIS PAST APRIL SEEMS TO HAVE LEFT AS QUICKLY AS IT CAME— though not without its blessings. The start of the month presented Duckwrth’s third studio album All American F*ckBoy and closed us out on his "All American Freak Show" at the Echoplex, in the rockstar’s very own hometown of Los Angeles and first headline show since 2022’s Chrome Bull run. With support from Black Alternative peers Sherwyn and King Isis, Duckwrth performed nearly half of the album, backed by the project’s co-collaborator BLK ODYSSY.
Fueled by the intimate, basement-esque space, the night was high in both anticipation and spirits. Maybe ten minutes after I stepped foot into the venue, King Isis set the stage to warm up the quickly filling room. A vision in red, her strong, melodic vocals and surprisingly calming energy led her band through about four of her original songs that caught everyone’s attention immediately. By the time she performed a rock cover of Sexyy Red’s "Pound Town," the crowd was howling with amusement. Her set, while short and sweet, ended in King Isis kneeling through the guitar solo she ever-so politely overtook from the guitarist, unbeknownst to everyone else how this would softly foreshadow the star power that built up throughout the rest of the night.
When it was Sherwyn’s turn to show out, the room was so nearly packed to the brim I almost forgot this wasn’t his headline. He commanded the room so effortlessly from the moment he came on—from literally bouncing back and forth across the stage for the majority of his performance, to the crowd serenading “Happy Birthday” for two of his friends, to some of the most dedicated calls and responses I’ve witnessed in a minute.
The air was heavy with anticipation during the last DJ-d stretch, before Duckwrth eventually broke the tension in his self-painted horn star makeup and signature electric-blue jumpsuit, his main character’s outfit of choice in the world he’s created around AAFB. LaKeith Stanfield’s voice breaks through before Duckwrth does for “Chapter 1,” and the rest of the night is honestly a colorful blur once he enters the frame for “Toxic Romantic.” Every song felt fully immersive with the amount of eye contact and emotion the star darted into the audience. Every heartbeat in the room switched with the tempo drop during the set’s most vulnerable moments, one of which being Duckwrth shedding a visible tear after performing “Permanent Vacation” (a disappointed and difficult letter to his dad that drives the rest of AAFB’s journey).
Aside from the emotional rollercoaster simulation, There are sillier things that remain sharp from that night: IDK and Sherwyn joined the stage for “Pitbull” and “I’m Really Changing,” respectively; a mosh pit birthed from “Hurricane J.I.M.” that left Duckwrth gasping for air and cheesing so hard his face started to hurt; “Hoe Phase” as an offering to the demanded encore; so much barking (from both Duckwrth and the audience); and excitement so high that it garnered from Duckwrth an impromptu announcement of the All American Freak Show Tour.
So the secret is out! The critically acclaimed project’s headline tour dates were officially announced yesterday, with stops all throughout North America and Europe from early September to mid-December. Presale started earlier this morning, and general sales are set to launch this coming Friday, May 9. Duckwrth’s first tour back in over two years, the All American Freak Show, is one you absolutely won’t want to miss!
