AJR was A-OK in Oklahoma City: An OK Orchestra concert review

AJR fans in Oklahoma City had been waiting nearly one year for their date with the OK Orchestra tour. A stop in OKC at the Zoo Amphitheatre was initially announced in July 2021, one of 12 shows slated for September and October 2021. However, limited Covid-19 restrictions forced the band to postpone their show from September 16, 2021, to June 7, 2022. It was worth the wait. A few expected changes and a few surprise switch-ups set social media ablaze in the wake of the band’s third concert ever in the Sooner state.

The group was scheduled to have two opening acts for the fall show, Daisy the Great and Sasha Alex Sloan. This time around, Boywithuke joined the AJR brothers on tour, and the OKC crowd very much enjoyed the rapidly rising musician who gained fame from TikTok. Boywithuke performed hits such as Two Moons, IDGAF, and Toxic. Because there was no Daisy the Great, there was no Record Player performance, but fans got to hear a different song that would have been missing in September. Thanks to becoming a TikTok and Instagram reel favorite, the trio added The Good Part to the set list, and fans could not have been happier. Let’s get into the juicy details.

AJR brought the Orchestra to the theater.

Two hundred sixty-four days from when AJR was set to perform in September, fans in Oklahoma City finally got a taste of the trio’s OK Orchestra tour on Tuesday. The show was everything fans had hoped it would be. As a bonus, the concert included some intriguing twists. Attending an AJR show is about the most scripted, unscripted concert experience one can have. With that said, in Oklahoma City on Tuesday night below clear skies, AJR threw the script out.

One aspect fans have enjoyed during the OK Orchestra — which kicked off April 28, 2022, in Dallas, Texas. — is the red Do Not Push button. The infamous button was sold as a commemorative item at the group’s merch booth. Yet, the button did not make an appearance as part of the Oklahoma City concert. A fan who attended the show was fortunate to secure one of the band’s setlists and they shared it on Twitter. The black and white piece of paper even references No Button. The band and their concert photographer & videographer Austin Roa create tour docs shared on the band’s official YouTube channel. It is certain fans will be waiting to see if the change is covered in an upcoming episode.

Because the button was not used, fans got to see a different finale and encore than other fans have seen thus far on tour.

June 7, 2022 AJR Setlist

• Bummerland
• Karma
• 3 O Clock Things
• BANG
• Dear Winter/The Trick
• Way Less Sad
• Trumpet Interlude
• Joe
• I Won’t (unreleased song)
• World’s Smallest Violin
• Humpty Dumpty
• Weak
• The Good Part
• Burn The House Down

Encore:

• Sober Up
• 100 Bad Days

Overall, this is a very solid setlist, the show lasted roughly 90 minutes. In reality, once a group has so many songs, there will not be time to play all fan favorites. Despite being the month of June, Christmas In June did not make the cut. Other fan favs absent from the list are:
“Break My Face” (Neotheather), “Adventure Is Out There” (OK Orchestra), “My Play” (OK Orchestra), “Netflix Trip” (The Click), and “Come Hang Out” (The Click.). Just because the group is not currently playing these songs does not mean they will not make a return. The Good Part came back, so do not rule anything out with this group of talented brothers.

It’s all in the details.

AJR concerts are full of details, from colorful graphics to insightful stories from the band. Along with more lighthearted moments, like Ryan trying on a hat from the audience during every show. One of the biggest differences between the Neotheather tour versus the OK Orchestra tour was the use of color in the graphics. During the previous tour, the graphics were much more black and white with many shapes. This time around, there were so many vibrant colors, that truly popped and jumped off the projection screen. Both Jack and Ryan Met have a condition called Synesthesia. This was once discussed on the Zach Sang Show, among other interviews. I wonder if these bold colors are how the duo sees their latest record.

During the performance of Joe, world champion beatboxer Kenny Urban joined Ryan on stage during the song. The tune also had different lyrics near the end than what can be heard on the official track on the album. A song fans got to hear that is absent from any of the group’s current albums is their unreleased track I Won’t. The crowd enjoyed the song and danced along to it. Early returns suggest the brothers have another hit on their hands.

The band has mentioned time, and time, and time again how much they want their concert to feel like a Broadway show. Something they do at the end of each tour date that I have never seen done following a concert before is that they air credits. It cannot be stressed enough how creative, thoughtful, and important this detail is. Much like the credits you see at the end of a TV show or movie, these credits provide more details on what you just witnessed, and they give a special shout-out to everyone working oh so hard behind the scenes to make the stars look good. While many fans have already begun to depart once the credits begin to roll, it should not be underestimated how cool it is that they are even rolling.

In the end, since there were no button fans in Oklahoma City were treated to a vintage finale with LED stick figure suits, individual drums, and a lot of bright lights. It was an epic finale, one that may not be used again by the group. This was the same finale used for the band’s One Spectacular Night virtual concert in December 2020 (the digital event was re-aired on the anniversary in 2021).

If you like the sound of their show, you may still have a chance to be part of the atmosphere AJR has 11 more US dates on the calendar before heading overseas later this summer and into the fall. This is more than a concert, it is an immersive experience that I highly recommend. You are guaranteed to feel Way Less Sad after the show.