Blu DeTiger Live At SOMA in San Diego
Photo by Grace Tom
Blu DeTiger has become one of my favorite pop acts that have surfaced in recent years. Upon the release of her easily catchy song “Vintage” in 2021, I was hooked by her eclectic sound and style. She has become well known for her focus on bass, an undeniable talent that has dubbed her as the “bass queen” – which is written in bold letters across some of her merch. On Monday, November 21st I had the chance to catch her performing at SOMA in San Diego, California. Supported by opening act Tiffany Day, “Blu DeTour” has spanned across twenty-two cities, marking Blu’s first headline tour. Additionally, Blu remarked during the show that this was her first time performing in San Diego. It is evident that she turned this introduction to the city into a dazzling night of groove and electric energy.
Tiffany Day opened up the show, setting the ambiance of the night. She began her set with “BITE BACK,” a sassy track from her 2022 EP The Renewal Project. Dancing around on stage, she had gotten the crowd to sing and jump around with her. Playing hits such as “IF I DON’T TEXT YOU FIRST” and “CALONE,” she established her spunky stage presence, getting us to universally feel her sentiments about relationships and crushes. The opening set felt fitting as it got the room buzzing from dancing and screaming lyrics back and forth.
Around 9:30, Blu took the stage, supported by her brother Rex on drums and Horace Bray on guitar. Blu and her band were lit up by two disco balls reflecting dreamy blue lights onto the stage. She opened up her set with “Crash Course,” entrancing us with her clean bass lines and charisma. She then played some of her more recent singles like “Hot Crush Lover,” singing boldly to the crowd “don’t you want a cool bitch?” Contrasting the previous songs, she sat down on the stage and mellowed out the room to begin her performance of one of her more popular hits “Cotton Candy Lemonade.” We all swayed and fell under her euphoric spell as she sang out the words “I wanna get lost with you.”
The night was not short of crowd involvement, it felt like she had personally greeted every person in the room one by one. During her performance of “Bluetooth,” Blu hopped off stage and the audience circled around her as she jammed out, playing her glittering turquoise bass. After getting back on stage, she moved into playing “Elevator,” a song where the drums washed over our faces. She then transitioned into a purely fun mashup cover of pop and indie hits “Style,” “Glamorous,” and “Electric Feel.” Donning fishnets and a black mini skirt with her name stitched on the back, Blu channeled a rockstar energy, encapsulating the room with her clever manipulation of the songs.
Switching to playing guitar for “Kinda Miss You,” she slowed down the moment, directing our attention by her sweet melodies before transitioning into “Tangerine.” After that, she called out to the audience to see if anyone wanted to play bass with her. A fan went up on stage and the band jammed out for a few minutes. This was arguably my favorite part of the night as I felt myself submerging into the intoxicating bass grooves, just truly appreciating the singular instrumentals each individual had to offer. It was a great snapshot of Blu’s musicality and seemingly effortless talent.
Blu wrapped up the night with her last song “Figure It Out,” partnered by an encore of my personal favorite “Vintage.” These two songs purely exhibited Blu’s mixture of danceable pop and disco, crafting an individualistic sound that I am yet to hear anywhere else. I left SOMA feeling rejuvenated after being in Blu’s presence all night. From start to finish, Blu put on an exceptional show that I will have to experience again one day.