Earlier this month, I had the privilege of attending Sombr’s final show of the North American leg of The Late Night and Young Romance Tour. He closed out the tour with two final hometown shows at the Brooklyn Steel. Sombr has taken the world by storm this past year, releasing his debut album “I Barely Know Her”, with his hit songs “12 to 12”, “back to friends”, and “undressed”. After opening for artists, including Nessa Barrett and Daniel Seavey, Sombr announced his first-ever headline tour, which quickly sold out and included multiple venue upgrades. This year, he was nominated for three VMA Awards, including a nomination for Best New Artist, and a win for Best Alternative Video (“back to friends”). He recently became a Grammy nominee for Best New Artist.
In honor of it being a hometown show, Sombr had another NYC artist, Blu DeTiger, open with an electrifying DJ set. She remixed hit songs, blending them with her own music while playing guitar. I have been to over 30 concerts, and have never seen a crowd so engaged in an opener’s set. After Blu DeTiger’s set, anticipation took over the venue, as the crowd waited eagerly for Sombr to come on.
Sombr took the stage performing his viral song “i wish i knew how to quit you”, dancing around in a black sparkly suit. The performance included comedic segments, a very intense crash-out, and moments of pure chaos that perfectly showcase Sombr’s online persona and humor. During his song, “back to friends”, Sombr sang out the emotional lyrics, while attempting to play limbo with his mic stand. There were a few points during the night where he jumped off the prop couch in true rock star fashion.
I was in awe as I watched him dance around and effortlessly hit high notes without missing a beat. Each song had the energy of an encore, as Sombr poured his all into each song. The crowd was captivated, dancing around and singing back every word.
A highlight of the night was Sombr bringing out Suki Waterhouse as a surprise guest to sing “Good Looking”. In the past, Sombr has brought out artists including Sam Smith, Laufey, and the lead singers of both Cigarettes After Sex and Foster the People. The moment Suki stepped on stage, the crowd erupted in screams as the two shared the spotlight. After the phenomenal duet, Sombr gifted her a bouquet of flowers.
As the final song “12 to 12” approached, Sombr gave an emotional speech talking about how this tour changed his life and his appreciation for his supporters. The crowd cheered his name as he paused to take in the moment. The show became a full circle moment for him, as he wrapped up his sold-out tour in the place he grew up. It was the perfect ending to an incredible tour and a reminder of how far he has come since he released his first song.