The indistinct chatter is buzzing in the anticipatory minutes before charlieonafriday hits the stage at Chicago's iconic and longstanding Subterranean. Taking a quick scan of the showgoers, the demographic is one you couldn't place if you tried. From kids no older than 10 to grandparents decked out in merch, the audience itself goes to show how the versatility of genre can tie together such a diverse crowd.
The 21-year-old Charlie Finch, aka charlieonnafriday, is on his first headline tour, already having received significant commercial success with singles, "After Hours" and "Enough." His fanbase is solid with only upward growth from here, as shown distinctly from the mere passion of the audience before he even sets foot on stage.
Chanting of Charlie's name begins to echo around the packed two-story venue in anxious anticipation of his entrance. It is clear that Chicago does not want to wait to see the Seattle-born rapper and singer-songwriter. It is soon after that the lights do dark and we see Charlie descend the spiral staircase built into the stage, inciting an eruption of cheers.
It is almost instantly that the crowd starts jumping, bathed beneath the now-red lights. The energy is high from the start as he performs the electric, "I'm Not Crazy." To get the night truly started he tells the enthralled masses, "This is the first show of my first headline tour. This is a charlieonnafriday show so we're gonna jump and we're gonna scream and if you're above 21, we're gonna drink." He sets the bar early, and the fans agree with equal, perhaps even more enthusiasm.
Charlie's stage presence is captivating from the start, and it is clear he cherishes his connection with his fans. He confides in everyone there as though he is speaking to a close friend. To introduce hit song, "When It Rains," he explains how he wrote this song when he was using substances to cope with difficult situations in his life. It is clear how much he trusts and relates to his fans, adding another intimate layer to the evening.
The show was just before his debut record, WILD CHILD, was released, but that didn't stop him from letting the fans hear the new songs before the rest of the world. He plays "81 Camino" which starts off as strikingly tender, later ascending in a bass-heavy and percussion-soaked beat.
To once again show his appreciation and connection with his fans, Charlie brings two eager fans on stage, but for a pretty unique reason. The two girls partake in a ping pong competition on stage and whoever wins gets to go to the merch table and pick out whatever they want for free. Throughout the night as well, it seemed Charlie's team was throwing into the crowd free merch for fans to enjoy. It's clear for anyone to see that this is all purely about the music and the people who connect with it. The humility Finch shows throughout the night is a distinct highlight that truly made the night special for everyone there.
As he closes out the night and looks out at the crowd beaming at him, he sentimentally remarks, "When we were making [this music], this is the kind of shit we always talked about and always dreamed of." The success charlieonnafriday receives is certainly not lost on him, and he embraced the audience just as much as they embraced him on a Chicago summer evening.
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