Hoodie Allen @ Playstation Theater (New York, NY) on November 25, 2017 [Photos & Show Review]

Although I’ve had the opportunity to photograph Hoodie Allen before, I’ve never been able to catch a full set. With all the things I’ve heard, including cake and crowd surfing, I was more than excited to finally see him at Playstation Theater in NYC on the last stop of Hoodie’s US fall tour. Based on photos and videos, I certainly had high expectations going in, and it’s no surprise that his hometown show lived up to the hype.

After running around the stage during the first three songs and shooting fake money into the crowd, the self-proclaimed “king of the fans” continued to prove that he is, in fact, just that. A highlight of the night was the shirt giveaway, where he stated that he would be picking someone who had texted his number to come up on stage for a free shirt. When presented with the option to keep it or give it to someone in the crowd, the girl chose the latter, and Hoodie commended her for being the only person to do so during this tour.

Upon throwing a cake into the crowd, a staple of a Hoodie Allen concert, he passed the mic to a fan in the front to help him rap part of “Cake Boy.” During “Two Lips,” he encouraged a crowd singalong during the chorus—but, of course, they sang along for the whole track, as well as every song that came after it.

A pleasant surprise for the fans towards the back of the venue who hadn’t managed to get a coveted barricade spot, Hoodie showed up at the soundboard to sing “Champagne and Pools.” Once he got back on stage, he announced that he would be letting the crowd vote between “James Franco,” “Fakin,” and “Eighteen Cool.” After “Eighteen Cool” won, he promised that they would get to hear “Fakin’” as well, before delivering a hyper-speed, acapella version of the track.

One part of the Hoodie Allen concert experience that I was looking forward to most was him crowd surfing in the raft during “All My Friends.” As he made his way to the back of the crowd and then towards the stage again, everyone came together for a chance to carry their favorite musician.

While the twenty-song set was a party in and of itself, the energy really ramped up for the final song of the encore, “No Interruption.” Because that was my first introduction to Hoodie back in 2013, I couldn’t help but join everyone in the crowd who was singing and dancing along. The excitement in the crowd was palpable, as if everyone in attendance had been looking forward to this specific song for days, if not weeks.

Nowadays, a live show tends to be about more than just the music, with many in the crowd hoping for an experience. With the way this king-of-the-fans interacts with his fans, as well as the lengths Hoodie goes to in order to make them feel special, there’s not a doubt in my mind that this was a show to remember for everyone in attendance.

Remaining Tour Dates:

12/07 – Grosse Freiheit 36 – Hamburg, DE
12/08 – Gretchen – Berlin, DE
12/10 – Arena Wien – Vienna, AT
12/11 – Muffathalle – Munich, DE
12/12 – Dynamo Werk 21 – Zürich, CH
12/14 – Die Kantine – Cologne, DE
12/16 – Birmingham Institute – Birmingham, UK
12/17 – O2 Ritz Manchester – Manchester, UK