The LA-based producer and DJ, ayokay, doesn’t appear to be letting up after the success of his debut album last year. His show at The Parish comes less than a year after his last visit in 2018, and less than a week after the release of his follow-up EP, we come alive. (Side A).

The crowd was pretty thin in the moments leading up to the show. ‘X’ marks could be seen on the hands of many concert goers as the largely underaged crowd began to trickle in. The stage setup was pretty basic. A single guitar was placed audience left, and a drum set was setup on the right. In the middle was a keyboard fortress for ayokay to play in. The sound guy walked on stage multiple times to do sound checks, causing excitement and disappointment for those in the crowd thinking the show was starting.

By the time show started, the crowd had filled out quite a bit. ayokay was met with a warm reception when he took the stage. He flashed a smile in return, then immediately started playing Half Past You. Popular tracks like Swing Swing, Things Fall Apart, and Sleepless Nights would follow. About halfway through the set, he told the crowd how several of his songs had be written with a band in mind, so it was exciting for him to be performing with a band for the first time. The live instrumentation added a layer of grittiness to the often polished pop and r&b infused EDM ayokay is known for.  He did a good job of engaging the crowd, talking throughout the set and showcasing himself as a person. Towards the end of the show, he even stepped from behind his keyboards to get up close with his cheering fans.

As for theatrics, the show didn’t include much, which isn’t unlike most shows at The Parish. The smaller stage and closeness to the crowd lends to a more intimate feel to the shows there. He had a simple lighting setup directly behind him and a smoke machine that seemed to be used less as the show went on. This was a good thing, because it was hard to see anything more then just his silhouette through the mist and lights during the early part of the show. Once

The night played out as well as one would hope. No hiccups or glaring omissions from the set list. ayokay even debuted a track off the forthcoming ‘Side B’ EP, much to the delight of the crowd. He ended his hour-long set by thanking the crowd before walking off stage. He would come back out a few moments later to chants of “Encore!;” performing Sleeping Next To You to end the night.