Feeling X at the Mod Club
By Hannah Wayland
Graphic: Emily Lantzy
Oakville-born and Toronto-raised indie-pop artist Alexandra Hughes, better known as Allie X, recently set off on the spring leg of her Super Sunset Tour. Despite now living in LA, she returned to perform a jam-packed hometown show at Toronto’s very own Mod Club Theatre on April 29th. Ever-stunning with her electro-pop style and avant-garde Lady Gaga-esque fashion sense, the show was sure to stun and after experiencing it first-hand, it would be a crime to say she didn’t. From the setlist to the costume and lighting design, the concert was truly stunning from start to finish.
For this show, there was a meet and greet beforehand for those who bought a VIP ticket. This allowed fans to meet and take some photos with Allie herself and get something signed if they wanted. She seemed extremely happy to meet everyone and gladly accepted gifts from fans, from small hand-done drawings to a painted vinyl record. The VIP experience was very enjoyable and personal, leaving everyone even more excited for the show and a memorable experience.
Raffaela “Raffi” Weyman, known by the stage name of Ralph, joined in the bill as her opener for this show, hot off her newest album release, Good Girl, featuring knockout songs like “Tables Have Turned” and “Cereal.” The Toronto native brought a mix of sad synthpop and danceable disco-infused songs, keeping the energy up the entire time. Bringing along Jaiden Davis-Jones on the keyboard, and Louis Baranyi-Irvine on the drums, Ralph filled the stage with Canadian talent. She kept the audience engaged for her 30-minute set with her and her bandmates’ passionate performances, choreographed dances, and interaction with the audience. Between each song, she gave a clue about the upcoming songs, keeping her fans guessing the next song, as well as giving new fans an idea of what’s to come. At the beginning of her set, it seemed that not many knew her, but by the end, many were sure to remember her name and her music. Staying well after her set to sell merch, she was incredibly kind and welcoming, even to those who wanted personalized photos or signed CDs. Overall, Ralph and her band served as the perfect compliment and kickoff to Allie X and her show that was to come.
Allie X kicked off her neon-accented set with her cult-classic “BITCH,” one that get the crowd screaming right out of the gate. Stealing the spotlight was her custom Jack Skellington-striped fit, made by Atelier Guarin, which included a breathtaking leather buckle corset, making the star’s performance that much more impressive. The set continued for another hour and was nothing short of heart-stopping. A giant mesh cube served as a projection screen for different graphics throughout the show and the space itself housed the singer’s neon-trimmed keyboard, which brought another layer of drama to the stage. One of the most memorable moment was when Ralph popped up on stage and joined in for the eclectic tune “Casanova” before going back to her merch table to meet fans. Throughout the show, Hughes chose songs that went all the way back to the beginning of her branding of Allie X, from 2016’s “Old Habits Die Hard” to the recent “Not So Bad in LA,” giving old and new fans alike songs to sing along to. Having opened for artists like Hayley Kiyoko and drag stars like Violet Chachki and Biblegirl on her past tours, and co-writing many of Troye Sivan’s songs, it was no secret that the crowd was full of LGBTQ+ fans who had no problem keeping the energy in the room up the entire night.
By the time the concert had wrapped up with her early pop hit “Prime,” an amazing spectacle of lights, drama, and action worthy of any pop queen had played out on that stage. I stuck around for a while to say goodbye to newly made friends and meet Ralph at her merch table after the lights came up, and I was very sad to see it all come to an end. I highly recommend seeing Allie X live because it truly is an unforgettable experience. Hughes has since wrapped up her North American portion of the tour after a number of shows throughout the states, but the tour is continuing to both Brazil and Germany starting in June.