Remi Wolf Delivers Electrifying Show at Roadrunner

Graphic by Cate Banks

By Anne O’Leary

Allston’s Roadrunner saw hundreds of people gathered for a sold-out show to see Remi Wolf (she/her) live on Sunday for her GWINGLE GWONGLE tour. The pop-soul artist blew the crowd away with not only a show-stopping voice, but an incredible set design with impressive use of color, lighting, and strobes.

Opening for Remi Wolf, bedroom pop rock band Jordana, pumped up the crowd with moody lyrics and guitar solos. Jordana better known as the singer Jordana Nye (she/her) is an American artist who recently released several albums and EPs, including one with indie pop band TV Girl titled, Summers Over (2021), the title track of which she performed toward the end of her set. 

Once she departed the stage, the stage crew unveiled Wolf’s stage set, kept under black tarps, revealing large vibrant fake flowers alongside a lifesize faux tree sprinkled with lights. Just before Wolf came out, the lights dimmed like a film screening and the band began playing a long opening solo to “Quiet On Set,” off the studio album Juno in 2022. As Wolf stepped up to perform her opener, the lights strobed and turned bright red, revealing a scene of zebras above, having the crowd roar in excitement. 

During the show, Wolf never lets her energy leave Roadrunner. She belts each song and screams as well as jumps around, wrapping a pride flag around herself, and getting off the stage to sign a fan’s body. 

The show’s production never lost its energy either, with continuously changing colors of electric reds, blues, pinks, and greens. The use of strobe lights was constant throughout the set, even flashing on beat with Wolf’s singing and seemingly random points throughout where she and the guitarist traded solos, each mimicking the other. Wolf would sing a series of descending notes and following, her guitarist would try to match those notes on the spot. The use of lighting really gave the show a truly igniting performance and the crowd was euphoric. 

While Remi was crazy with energy, her soulful voice and meaningful lyrics permeated the crowd. Before performing “Liquor Store” from her 2022 album Juno, she said it was the best song she’s ever written. “Liquor Store” is about Wolf’s struggle with alcohol addiction which she shared in a detailed Instagram post. Wolf admits that during the 2020 lockdown she was struggling with addiction and decided to put herself through rehab. Four months later, amidst an emotional breakdown, Wolf called her fellow songwriter/producer Jared Solomon and together they worked on “Liquor Store” and later began writing for Wolf’s debut album, Juno. While the song is upbeat and fun, the actual conception of the song is quite dark and dreary, but Wolf performed the song with the utmost cheerfulness. 

Wolf didn’t just perform her own work during the concert. To break up her set, she sang a breathing-taking jazzy cover of “Pink+White” by Frank Ocean, then got on the drum set, in place of her drummer, Conor Malloy (he/him), so he could read funny “positive affirmations” from his phone, including “This was a Dua Lipa Summer and this is a Dua Lipa Fall!” 

Wolf finished the set with her most popular song that went viral from Tik Tok “Photo ID” The song currently has 61 million streams, appearing on her 2020 EP, I’m Allergic To Dogs! “Photo ID” also has a version that features indie singer and Euphoria actor, Dominic Fike. Shortly after concluding the show, she came back for an encore performance and played a fan favorite off of the “I’m Allergic To Dogs!” EP, “Disco Man,” giving the crowd what they most certainly wanted, more Remi!