The promotion leading up to the event was insane. Every day you would get online, and Young Xav would post about and hype it up. You would get various sneak peaks and incentives to buy tickets. One day, anyone who purchased a ticket would get the chance to take a shot with Xav. He personally reached out to different people, and I enjoyed the hospitality of him checking in on my flights and me. In the days leading up to the show, he would post people getting into town and other tidbits to get us excited. Every day, his Instagram stories were about getting everyone ready for the show.
The Show
I was not expecting such an incredible show. It was a full-blown concert with various entertainment, contests, and soup. Cream Shows was a major element in getting things together and ensuring the crowd was enthused during set changes. Reggies is a good-sized venue, and it was pretty full. There was standing and some sitting room. Ultimately, the success of a show comes down to the crowd. This crowd was elite and there to have fun. I’ve been to a lot of events over the years, and this might be my favorite, so much so that I made a recap video of the night.
There is so much to unpack about the show. First, it was far too cold for me, but even so, Reggies was packed. The ease and personal touches speak volumes. Before hitting the stage, many artists could be found hanging out in the crowd mingling with others. We took our spots in the back to take it all in, and I spotted Young Xav getting ready to take a shot, likely someone who bought their ticket on shot day. Afterward, Xav approached us to formally introduce himself and thank us for coming. He had many rounds to make, so our first meeting was quick but was a personal touch you rarely see. I noticed throughout the event he made a note to go up to various groups and people.
I was a few minutes late; my body was still running on Miami time. When we came in, Eve Vino had already started his set. It was a cool, smooth way to start and let everyone roll in. He did a few solo songs and also brought out a guest performer. He has some major Weeknd vibes. Next up, Cream Shows took the stage for audience participation by leading us through a wild fast-money round based on Family Feud. The answers were hilarious; you’ll never guess what the capital of Chicago is.
After Family Feud, we head back into the performances. My new favorite band is Division Point, whom I had never heard of until today. They had such great songs, vocals, and energy. Aside from Young Xav, they stood out to me the most, and I had to follow them on social media before they even finished their set. Next up was Conway, who is a bit out of my musical range. They did a few of their songs and a cover as well. They brought all the energy during their performance. After Conway, it was time for a little break. Cream had an epic game of Uno that had us cracking up. There may have been some cheating, but it was fun.
Young Xav hits the stage.
Things got dark and quiet because the crowd had to do some singing. Everyone sang Happy Birthday to Young Xav with lighters and phone lights as candles. Then we had to pretend we never saw him as we awaited his epic entrance. Lights, fog, camera, and boom, here he came with the band starting off the set with Sweet Dreams. So much happened during his set, including a mosh pit, conga line, guest appearances, and soup. The set was a mix of old and new, hip-hop and rock, and everything Young Xav is known for. You can’t put him in a box because his voice can adapt to different genres effortlessly. Of course, I could sing along to songs off Dead By Dawn, but even the ones I didn’t know I could follow along with. While I didn’t join the mosh pit or conga line, I enjoyed watching everyone. These fun breaks brought the crowd together.
At one point, Young Xav was so in the moment he jumped off the stage and joined the crowd to perform among us. There’s nothing like being that close to a performer while they’re in their element. One stand out that will go down in history is the soup I keep mentioning. Someone brought a can of soup for Young Xav to autograph. It’s not the strangest thing he has signed, he tells us, but the entire crowd started chanting, “Soup, soup, soup.” I will never get over that. Unfortunately, I did not get any footage because I was in shock at first, then laughing hysterically, and then chanting with the crowd.
Final Thoughts
After the event, Young Xav made an effort to continue to post and repost about it. He even had a poll where if you answered that you went to the show, he sent you a personal message thanking you. These personal touches make and keep fans, aside from the talent, of course. The energy of the performers and audience was unmatched. This felt like something other than an underground show but a full-blown concert that people would pay a lot more to attend. It was not a one-hour situation where you hear people sing and then move on. No, this was an experience with so much going on, I still can’t wrap my head around it. Ultimately, I cannot wait until the next show and can’t wait to see what Young Xav has in store for the fans.
Melly Starz 