One of the early pioneers of the alt-rap genre, Rico Nasty slid into the House of Blues on October 14th to promote her newest album, LETHAL. She was joined by Toronto-born SadBoi and a local favorite, Kei. Fans arrived sporting their best goth and punk gear: black eyeliner, fishnets, piercings, and even Band-Aids as accessories.
Kei opened up the show and her charisma captivated the crowd. It didn’t take long for the audience to sing and bop along while Kei danced from one side of the stage to the other. Towards the end of the set, she brought out ALONE, a local guitarist, to shred on some tracks. Kei’s performance was full of that alt-rap sound so naturally, it was the perfect opening to a Rico show.
Next up was SadBoi who brought more of an upbeat dancehall vibe to the stage. Just like with Kei, the crowd was eating up the energy and shouting back lyrics while SadBoi grooved along. In a strange twist of events, she ended her set with a sing along to “We Are Young” by fun. It was a change of pace, but the crowd knew every word and left them in a state of frenzy for their headliner.
Rico has always represented a modern type of alternative punk, but this vibe is really driven home on LETHAL. The album showcases Rico’s heavier sound on songs like “SON OF A GUN” and “SMOKE BREAK.” Unlike past shows, Rico had a guitarist on stage with her to add a heavier dimension to the performance. The setlist included a whopping 38 songs and featured tracks from all over her discography, including songs she featured on like “Swamp Bitches” by Doechii, “Tia Tamara” by Doja Cat, and “JUNGLE,” her newest collaboration with Fred again..
Although there were a ton of songs performed, it never felt like too much. Rico’s graceful sequencing stitched tracks together with seamless transitions where even welcome diversions like “Sanctuary,” the opening track from Kingdom Hearts 2, fit naturally into her world. The set was mostly composed of tracks from LETHAL, but diehard Rico fans were treated to fan favorites like “Smack a Bitch” and “Rage.” The show felt like a celebration of Rico’s career thus far. The cherry on top? She couldn’t stop smiling throughout the night. It’s such a joy to see an artist truly happy to perform and connect with her fans, new and old.
Check out the rest of Emily’s photos from the show below.
