The iconic Beacon Theatre’s ornate cornices and vast red curtains set the stage for Rex Orange County’s six-show stint In New York City, beginning on Friday, Oct. 11. With the release of English singer Alexander O’Connor’s fifth studio album, “The Alexander Technique,” he returns to North America with “FINALLY: A Theatre Tour.”
O’Connor’s tours have grown in size since his first headliners in 2018, peaking in Radio City Music Hall in 2020. However, the “FINALLY: A Theatre Tour” set a more intimate scene for O’Connor’s latest release, which felt suiting –– the album explores themes of melancholy, confusion and dread that could be best explored in the theater’s personal setting. After a tumultuous couple of years contesting six sexual assault charges in the UK — all of which have since been dropped — the album and show mark his return after a two-year hiatus from performing, spotlighting his personal reflections on recent bouts of uncertainty.
O’Connor opened the show with the album’s first track, “Alexander,” half singing and half monologuing to a crowd already on their feet. The song is set in a conceptual doctor’s office, and details the so-called back pain that is discovered to be a manifestation of years of his stress and confusion. He established a direct dialogue between himself and the crowd with “Therapy” next, singing, “Welcome, welcome / Make yourself at home and take a seat / I’ll be your host for the next hour / So get as comfy as can be.”
The curtains then shot up to reveal the backdrop of a minka — a traditional Japanese-style home that translates to “house of the people” — making it feel as though the artist invited the audience into his personal space. O’Connor and his band played a soft rock rendition of “Guitar Song,” which transitioned to the nostalgic head-bopping indie-rock song “2008.” The doors to the minka then slid open, revealing a Japanese garden backdrop in the early spring where trees are still bare.
When a band member shot off the introductory guitar riff of “THE SHADE,” cherry blossom flowers bloomed on the screen. Fans sang along as O’Connor begged a former lover to not leave. Songs about unrequited love dominate O’Connor’s discography, and his performance of “Happiness” proved no exception. In this somber piano ballad, O’Connor questions his partner’s commitment while simultaneously reiterating his commitment. He wants to show how much he cares for them but alludes to the slim possibility of the relationship’s success. Blossoms faded from the background, turning to a warm orange glow as the artist and audience belted out, “When I turn 81 and forget things, will you still be proud?”
The doors of the minka closed as O’Connor sent his bandmates backstage for some one-on-one time with the crowd. He then performed an acoustic rendition of Alicia Keys’ “No One,” and the audience lit up the venue with their phone as they swayed to the music.
Keeping up with the momentum, O’Connor turned the show into a party. He played the first few notes of his indie-rock hit “Sunflower” to ear-splitting cheers, and his band re-emerged on stage. Flashing lights kicked on for the first verse, and the crowd erupted with cheers.
The party continued with “Best Friend” and “Television / So Far So Good” — both exploring the highs and lows that come with falling for someone. The former is about a friend who doesn’t reciprocate romantic feelings, yet takes comfort in knowing that it isn’t the end of their friendship. It’s a feeling that clearly resonated; O’Connor had the whole crowd bouncing while he sang, “I wanna be the one that makes your day / The one you think about as you lie awake.”
Most of O’Connor’s discography are personal thoughts set against the backdrop of uplifting indie-rock beats, which makes the lovelorn lyrics more palpable. “Television / So Far So Good” epitomizes this, its chorus pleads, “What about me and you together? / Something that could really last forever,” and the crowd seemed to funnel all their frustrations and stress into singing along.
The last song of O’Connor’s album, and the last song of the show, was aptly named “Finally.” It was a fitting end to the show as he sang: “Fractions of all the time gone / Now I’m onto a different mode / Watch me as I go.” He finishes reflecting and seems ready to move on with his last lines, “Finally I’m home / I finally let go.”
Re-emerging for an encore with the crowd’s insistence, O’Connor came back out jumping to the intro of “AMAZING.” He closed out by performing what many consider to be his best song — “Pluto Projector” — a longing letter to a lost love begging for emotional guidance. The lights dimmed to complement O’Connor’s heartfelt lyrics.
Contact Jonathan Mak at [email protected].
