Remy Bond - A Tropical Storm in Dallas, Texas
Why Remy?
Remy Bond is a walking magnet to artists. While her meanings, lyrics, and visual aesthetics are obviously as cathartic as they are aesthetically pleasing to her and her listeners - Her presence in the industry is an outlet of expression for every artist who stumbles upon her. As a photographer who has visions of vintage skylines and vibrant paradise, it is difficult to simply work my magic according to those visions here in East Texas. To go to Remy's show and be able to execute my visions was a magnificent experience.
Her Audience
Upon observation, Remy's crowd is an honestly tight-knit community, despite Remy having a global presence. Her fans can be seen wearing a staple - Hibiscus flower clips. A regular Dallas local, who was only attending the show with no prior knowledge of the performers, pulled me aside and asked me about the flower clips. (I was wearing one myself!) "What's the deal with all the clips?" I respond, "You don't know Remy?" She answers no, so then I ask, "How do you feel about vintage paradise?" She was all for it. I checked back in later to find out that Remy had earned herself a new fan. To be in the venue that night felt like being at a friend's house. The energy was high, the colors were bright, and lots of conversation and laughs were had in the crowd. Now, I knew Remy prior to this. I'm a fan! However, I wasn't familiar with the opening act - Mila Degray.
Mila Degray
Mila was fantastic and another reminder that Remy Bond is full of surprises. I personally didn't know what I was expecting, but I was blown away by having a little bit of a rock sound in the building that night. It was almost refreshing. But don't get me wrong, it wasn't all stone-cold rock songs. Mila did her own rendition of "Be My Baby" by the 1960s group The Ronettes. A classic. Her and her band sounded amazing! The crowd was also very engaged with her, which is such a beautiful representation of music appreciation.
Beauty School Drop-Out
A dance routine by Nadia Reese and Katya Bays to the world famous "Beauty School Drop-Out" - Unexpected but perfectly predictable. I would say it was perfect for opening the show, it had the crowd more mesmerized than hyped. I mean that in the greatest way possible.
Singing songs for everyone but me...
The first Remy song was perfect for the "Star-Shaped Baby Tour" - Star-Shaped Baby! I've been a frequent listener of that song since its release, but I never expected it to be such a slow, intimate way to start a show. It was almost as if it was a personal introduction. She then followed with 2 other loved singles of hers- "Don't go back to Paris" and "Simple Girl" It was at this point when I knew it - It's not Dallas tonight, it's Vegas!
Have I Heard This One?
As the show continued, I started to hear the crowd sing the lyrics to Remy's unreleased songs. Her show consisted of her unofficial tunes Hawaiian Dream, Atlantic City, No One, I Heard, and House of Blues. These songs weren't performed for the purpose of making a debut, but rather a purpose to connect with her true fanbase. When will the debut album be here? Not sure, but I am sure that it is highly anticipated.
The Martini Glass!
Remy carried on performing fan favorites such as Benzo Queen and The End of The World alongside a Supertramp cover - "Goodbye Stranger". The crowd is always loudest, though debatable, when the artist plays their most accredited song. In this case, "Summer Song", which actually has made an appearance in the popular Netflix series "Ginny & Georgia", lit up the crowd. She then performs "Moviestar", and she comes back for a much-needed encore with "House of Blues" and "Red White & Blue", another fan favorite. A special part of the show is when she sings in the martini glass, which I always like to think is homage to Dita Von Teese.
You Are a Moviestar!
My personal favorite part of the show was the performance of "Moviestar". This is because she brings out her sister, Olivia Bond, which she collaborated on the song with. The song itself screams the most "Vegas" to me, that's why I love it.
I Was Never Good with Goodbyes
I'd say my favorite track by Remy Bond is "End of The World", so that was a beautiful experience to hear live. This show was like no other - artsy, energetic, and intimate. Remy and her team are a powerhouse of creatives who are visibly working the enhance the game and meaning of music. I've been loving the resurgence of visuals in music, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for Remy. As far as anyone else who will be attending this tour, or any tour, soak it all in. Live music is a drug, a good one.