Keshi Brings HELL/HEAVEN Tour to Los Angeles

Recap by Paolo Nicola / Photos by Giannina Fredo / See the photo galleries from this night here

Tuesday, June 14, 2022 - Multi-talented artist keshi (stage name of Casey Luong) is currently on his HELL/HEAVEN tour promoting his debut studio album, Gabriel, which was released earlier this year. Melophile Media photographer, Giannina, and I attended the first night of his two sold-out shows at the historic Fonda Theatre on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Keshi serenaded the crowd of loyal fans with his dreamy vocals backed by catchy lo-fi beats. The setlist consisted of fan-favorite tracks from his multiple EPs and latest album. 

The breakout artist, who was working as a nurse only a few years ago before pursuing music full-time, has amassed many young and diverse fans— including members of the K-Pop group, BTS. Many of the concert attendees I saw were twenty-something-year-old Asians, which makes sense since keshi is a proud Vietnamese-American. It's always good to see artists receive support from their communities. Fashion also seems to be a big thing within the fanbase, as many fans were rocking unique streetwear outfits inspired by keshi’s own signature style. I also have to commend his fans for being respectful to all the performers and each other during the show. This was one of the most laid-back and polite crowds I’ve seen in a while. 

I was able to enjoy the concert from the right side of the pit close to the stage. The theatre also has a second story balcony area with seats for VIP ticket holders, (but I think the energy on the floor was better.)

The first opening act, georgee, had an incredible stage presence and voice. He effortlessly interacted with the crowd, talked about his love for collecting Pokémon cards, and set an exciting tone for the night. There was a sweet moment between him and his younger sister, who was in the front row and traveled all the way from New York to see him. His voice reached many impressive high notes and the instrumental styles of his songs were also enjoyable. His song “baby4u” was stuck in my head long after the show and his next single, “Tell Me”, is dropping soon. I was able to meet him after the show and he was just as humble and friendly and he appeared on stage. He mentioned that this was his third live performance ever, which is unbelievable. He has a bright future ahead of him.

"He sounds like an angel" is what I overheard someone in the crowd say while rei brown was performing. They were right. He has a beautiful and calming voice that mesmerized the crowd. His set was much more relaxed compared to the other two artists, and his serene demeanor matched the music. He even came across as somewhat shy at certain moments, but still looked like he was having a great time and smiled at the crowd often. Some tracks that stood out during his set were "Thinking Bout You", which features Joji (they’re going on tour together soon), and “Honest.” I would describe his performance as moody with dreampop vibes. 

As soon as the lights dimmed again, the crowd began screaming and chanting keshi’s name. His band walked onto the stage first and played some rockish melodies before keshi appeared and immediately started performing his first song of the night, “Get It.” The enthusiastic fans sang along to every word. The screens on the stage displayed colorful visual effects and cinematic video clips throughout the set that were a fun futuristic contrast to the 1920s venue. Keshi was energetic and interactive throughout his set. He teased the crowd at one point by asking if they liked skeletons, a reference to his 2019 EP and song of the same name. The fans just screamed in response whenever he said the word. Many of his songs reminded me of The Weeknd’s early R&B sound– especially the popular track “Somebody” from Gabriel. My photographer and I agreed that the best song of the night was “Westside”, another calming track from the new album that has the potential to be a big hit. “Angel” is another contender that features keshi’s impressive vocal abilities and great guitar instrumentals. He also showed off his guitar skills during some songs. His love and appreciation for the crowd was apparent, and they loved him right back. 

This was overall a wonderful night full of unmistakable talent and passion from each artist. We’re looking forward to enjoying more of their work soon!