Addison Rae performs with Arca during Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at Empire Polo Club in Indio, Calif. on April 13, 2025. Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Coachella.
Addison Rae performs with Arca during Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at Empire Polo Club in Indio, Calif. on April 13, 2025. Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Coachella.
SAN FRANCISCO — In a world filled to the brim with social media content creators deciding to make music, how can one stand out? Addison Rae has managed to succeed by studying her inspirations from the past and weaving her own thread. That’s how despite never having toured before, she sold out Bill Graham Civic Auditorium on Thursday night.
Addison Rae
8:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 22
Greek Theatre, Los Angeles
Tickets: $44 to $276.
Rae emerged from an A-shaped metal gate, onto a stage with a multi-tiered circular platform in the middle and an ornate chandelier hanging above. Opener “Fame is a Gun” co-opted the choreography from he song’s video.
“I see a lot of pink wigs!” she shouted afterward. “I’ve never been here before. You make a good impression, I have to say. I had some sourdough and I was satisfied.”
Each song involved carefully choreographed routines with four dancers. On “I Got It Bad,” Rae strutted while wearing a leather paperboy cap, reminiscent of the one Britney Spears wore back in the day, to an arrangement that incorporated instrumental elements of Spears’ “…Baby One More Time.”
The set shifted between fast-paced songs before pulling back for slower ballads. From “New York,” with an intense club energy, to “2 Die 4,” the pace carried smoothly from one moment to the next. The chemistry between Addison Rae and the dancers made it more engaging.
“Everyone say ‘bye Patrick!’ she quipped as one of the dancers exited. “It’s OK, we’ll see him again later.”
@jessicaffierro QUEEN @Addison Rae HQ @Addison🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕 #addisonrae #fameisagun #fameisagunaddisonrae #addisonraeconcert #addisonraelive ♬ original sound – Jessica | Pop culture stuff
On a cover of of Charli XCX’s “Von Dutch” (on which Rae’s a featured artist) she pulled three fans onstage to improvise the song’s scream that she made famous. The song slowly transitioned to a jazzy interlude that played on “Singin’ In the Rain,” with one dancer walking with an umbrella. That turned into ethereal number “In the Rain,” where Rae swayed and glided through her dance moves. “High Fashion,” on the other hand, was a moment for Rae to show off her vocal range.
There were remixes and mentions of collaborator Arca, most notably during the mystical performance of “Aquamarine” that Rae blended the song’s remix, “Arcamarine.”
Rae’s gleefulness was infectious during “Money Is Everything,” where green confetti rained down. Throughout the course of the show, she made a conscious effort to involve the audience, which reflected the energy back to the artist.
The show’s finale paid homage to the single that kicked off Rae’s self-titled debut album, “Diet Pepsi.”
“Do you want to sing along with me? I would love that,” Rae mused as the dancers helped her put on a ballerina-inspired dress with a long tulle train.
The lighting got more dramatic, which allowed the embellishments and crystals on her outfit to shine.
The video screens at the back of the stage began in black and white before bursting into color as sparklers came cascading down around her. The dancers tossed flowers into the crowd as the smoke from the sparklers cleared.
The 14-set set was fun and concise, concluding before 10 p.m. since there was no opening artist.
Follow writer Vera Maksymiuk at Twitter.com/veramaksymiuk.
About The Author
Vera Maksymiuk is a Polish American photographer and writer. She’s written for the Stanford Daily, The Red Wheelbarrow and most recently, the San Francisco chapter of Her Campus. She is also a published poet.
Vera Maksymiuk is a Polish American photographer and writer. She’s written for the Stanford Daily, The Red Wheelbarrow and most recently, the San Francisco chapter of Her Campus. She is also a published poet.