The morning after the Dijon concert, I came down with a case of the worst post-concert-depression I’ve experienced since the last time I saw Dijon perform live. I almost called out of work.
For context, that was at the Re:SET Festival back at Forest Hills Stadium in summer of 2023. The lineup on the day I ensured I had a ticket for was Dijon, Clairo, and Boygenius. Mk.gee played the guitar before anyone even knew who Mk.gee was. It was the show that Justin and Hailey Bieber went to; the one when the videos of the two of them vibing side-stage to Dijon went slightly viral on many a music social media algorithm.
In support of my gripe with music festival scheduling and time-slotting, Dijon’s set was just about a half hour, but until last night, that half hour was one of the best half hours of live music I’ve ever gotten to witness. He played a bulk of Absolutely, which had dropped a little under two years prior, but it seemed like the mainstream was just catching appeal of raw, intimate instrumentation, finally grasping the allure of “The Dress” and “Many Times.” It still took most of those attendees (a lot of whom were there solely for Phoebe Bridgers) up until this past year to clock that “Big Mike’s” is in reference to Mr. Mike Gordon, Mk.gee himself.
When Dijon revealed the slate of tour dates for Baby, I knew I had to get there.
What I didn’t know, however, was that I’d get access to the photo pit for the first six songs of the set. I was fanning out too hard at that point for the imposter syndrome to even get a word in. Not to mention the crowd in the pit was a kind bunch, truly one of the safest spaces I’ve encountered as a small woman going to concerts solo.
The Brooklyn Paramount was also the ideal venue for the set: intimate, yet architecturally intricate. Defined by its high ceilings, chandeliers, and spiral staircases, the iconic venue evokes a refined sense of classic NYC theater, and has hosted the likes of a handful of A-list and emerging artists, two of my favorite having been PinkPantheress and Mariah the Scientist.
With no opening act, Dijon came on promptly at 8:45, preceded by all of his band members walking out on stage first. Calmly and respectfully, the crowd went crazy. A few sporadic screams rang to the tune of “Dijon, you’re fantastic!” and “Henry Kwapis, I love you!” All very wholesome heckling.
The first of three nights in NYC – with another Brooklyn Paramount show tonight, followed by a third Manhattan show at Webster Hall – it was clear Dijon was starting off the Big Apple run with a bang as soon as he started sampling clips of the Knicks game (the one where they beat the Pistons to clinch the second round of last year’s NBA playoffs) after he walked out to Bobby Wright’s “Blood of an American”. “Jaylen Brunson with the 3,” blasted over the speakers. “The Pistons take a time out.” He knows how to read a room.
First came “FIRE!,” followed by “Many Times,” the latter of which the result of jam session between Dijon and the band. After about 50 seconds of finding the flow and pace, the instrumental improvisation transpired into the introduction of “Many Times.” “Another Baby!” and “HIGHER!” teed up for a slower, more reflective point in the set; seemingly a choice made on stage right then and there, Dijon ultimately decided to run “Annie” acoustic. It seemed like a spur of the moment choice, with Dijon hand-signaling back to his band – an encounter from which all I could take away was the closing thumbs up.
It was clear he wanted to perfect the stripped back arrangement before starting the vocals, standing up at the mic for a minute before he began.
The silence in the room was palpable. I can count on one finger the amount of times I’ve been at a concert where the musician is actually able to fully silence the crowd. Someone always has to yell something or let out a rogue applause. But Dijon didn’t even have to try; it seemed second-nature to the crowd to quiet down when the more somber, intimate moments of the set came about.
“Baby” highlighted Dijon’s live mixing, Rihanna and Drake’s “Work” even making its way into the mix. The musician runs a different set every night, each show’s setlist seemingly determined on the spot or shortly beforehand. Tomorrow night’s show will look totally different, and who knows what Webster Hall has in store.
Post-photo pit, How Do You Feel About Getting Married? tracks “alley-oop,” “rock n roll,” and “jesse” all found slots in the second part of the set. Fellow Absolutely cut – and my personal favorite – “Talk Down,” followed suit, kicking off with an extended, more haunting instrumental lead up. “Yamaha” and “Automatic” reveled in a radiating, room-wide cathartic, while “(Referee),” “Rewind” and “my man,” signaled a more introspective shift – with nostalgic fan-favorite “The Dress” gracefully sandwiched in between.
“Kindalove!” served as an ethereal pre-encore closer, wrapping the main part of the show. As Dijon stood center-stage The house lights got slightly brighter, with a spotlight circling the crowd before landing on the musician himself. He returned to the stage for a pair of encore songs: “Nico’s Red Truck” and “Rodeo Clown.”
The only clown, however, is me, for sneaking out right before the encore in attempt to beat the traffic home. My Uber was a red SUV, though.
