On his first tour after launching his debut album “I Barely Know Her,” Sombr played two packed shows just across the street from USC. Hundreds of people crowded into the Shrine Auditorium, excited to see what he had in store, but also amid an atmosphere of controversy.
Just days before, a 25-year-old concert attendee who saw his show in Washington D.C. posted a nine-minute long TikTok describing her experience as the worst she’s “ever had.”
She claimed the show was designed for “preteens,” full of “brain rot jokes” and immature stage antics.
Her message spread quickly and Sombr clapped back, calling her complaints a “skill issue” and pointing out she was attending the show of someone five years younger than her — which only fueled more chaos and mixed reviews about the show.
So I walked into the Shrine with that criticism in the back of my mind — not sure what I was about to see.
Then, the lights hit and out came Sombr dressed in a sparkling pants suit.
A Full-Scale Production, Not a Kids’ Show
The production design was nothing short of spectacular: gold lights, a floating disco ball and a stage built to look like a late-night talk show set in New York City. The set up featured three sections – a desk, a performance stage and a break-room. For a moment, I felt like I was back in Manhattan.
Sombr played into the bit, taking on a “rockstar” persona in between songs to chat with the voice of a talk show host. A part of it felt like a loose narrative about self-reflection, ego and fame.
Yes, there were jokes – including the viral “6-7” one – but they brought life to the space. Sombr even made the audience part of the show by pulling a fan on stage to call his exboyfriend live.
Every moment felt clever and intentional – the kind of thing an artist does when they’re actually thinking about storytelling.
Sombr performed for nearly an hour and forty-five minutes without a single break, dancing and belting like he was trying to prove something – maybe he was.
His band matched his energy – so much so that when the show ended, the guitarist smashed his guitar into the floor, breaking it into a million pieces. This felt symbolic of the adrenaline rush you could feel through them.
The biggest surprise of the night was when Sombr brought out Foster the People to sing Pumped up Kicks. It felt like an ode to the childhood of everyone in the audience who’d grown up in the early 2000s.
Now here’s where the critic might be right.
The crowd itself had a mixed energy. Half of the audience was enjoying themselves, dancing and signing. While the other half stood straight faced. The crowd did lean on the younger side, but the older middle-aged couple standing beside me beat the stereotype.
I could understand the critic’s reasoning for feeling too old to be there, but also considering he is only 20 years old and an up-and-coming artist, I wouldn’t expect anything else.
If you are in his core demographic (likely teens to early-20s) and you go into it expecting a fun and theatrical performance, you’re going to walk out satisfied.
Final verdict
I left the Shrine feeling impressed. The production, his ambition and the way he commanded the stage – all deserve praise. It warmed my heart to see a fellow New York theater kid pursuing his dreams on the stage and just having fun.
For a new and upcoming artist, Sombr has got it figured out. He’s already developed a unique sound, a visual identity and a solid fanbase.
I hope he uses this moment of both criticism and praise wisely, continuing to grow as an artist and performer. Like the lead singer of Foster the People said, “We’re staring at the future when we look at Sombr.” I’m excited to see what he does next.