Pop-singer and internet-proclaimed “Lesbian Jesus” Hayley Kiyoko stopped in St. Louis at Delmar Hall for a sold out show on May 4th as part of her Expectations World Tour. Along with her, she brought pop singer Allie X to open the show.
Being as though there are only two artists on the tour, set times were long enough to get a good balance of both artists. Allie X, who gained popularity in 2015 when Katy Perry promoted her then most recent singles, opened the show with a set lasting nearly an hour. With her darkly themed music about self-destruction and less-than-favorable relationships, the singer took the stage veiled and wearing sunglasses with a stage presence reminiscent of early Lady Gaga. The audience seemed a bit confused and taken back by her stage presence, but after the veil was removed, warmed up to her set.
When Kiyoko took the stage, the audience was in hysteria. The crowd, waving their LGBTQ+ flags, welcomed Kiyoko very warmly as she took the stage, so much so that she had a genuine smile on her face for seemingly the entire set. Playing through hits like “Girls Like Girls” and “Curious,” the crowd knew every word of every song and launched the occasional bra at Kiyoko, including one that landed perfectly on the mic stand (props!).
All in all, the show was one the audience won’t forget. The hysteria that ensued when Kiyoko took the stage is a clear indicator of where she’s headed. As she is widely supported by the LGBTQ+ community, I would expect to see her return to St. Louis somewhere like The Pageant — and sold out there, too.
Photos: © Alyssa Bardol Photography
