Kid Bloom brings “Inner Light” to Chicago on his latest tour

Spring has sprung in the Midwest and we Chicagoans can’t help but take every opportunity to enjoy it. Any excuse to go outside while the weather is nice is a must and this sudden arrival of spring conveniently fell in line with Kid Bloom‘s arrival to Chicago. Currently touring across the U.S. to promote his latest release Inner Light (Phase 1), Kid Bloom made Chicago’s Bottom Lounge home for a one-night show.

Bottom Lounge is a staple in the windy city. The grand bar, decorated with upcoming event posters, and a pinball machine create a casual environment for the concertgoers. The punk aura isn’t what it used to be at Bottom Lounge but remnants of that era live on through retro photos of legendary bands. The music stage is in the backroom and was already packed when the doors swung open, a great turnout for a Tuesday night.

Before Kid Bloom took to the stage, the fans were introduced to rapper/singer RMR (pronounced Rumor). Dressed in a black ski mask and accompanied by a guitarist RMR surprised the audience with his powerful vocals, booming over the speakers. Opening the set with his most iconic song “Rascal,” RMR immediately called attention to police brutality: “This much I know it’s true, I came up and so could you. And fuck the boys in blue”. In no time he had the crowd waving their middle fingers in the air and singing “Fuck 12! Fuck 12!” in a poetic tone. The mask came off at the end of the set during “Beautiful Chaos” exposing the artist to a new set of fans. After the show, RMR met fans at the merchandise stand to talk music and take photos.

After a brief intermission, Kid Bloom took the stage. The majority of fans in attendance were screaming girls making him blush in the low light. The singer wasted no time jumping right into “Cowboy” and “I Fell in Love Again” before apologizing for his sore throat. It was clear when he spoke that his voice sounded raspier than usual but someone in the crowd reassured him that he sounded “sexy” bringing out the pink in the cheeks once again.

Throughout his set, Kid Bloom joked that his next song was his last song for nearly half an hour while playing tracks like “That’s What Happens” and the catchy, funky “Remedy”. The artist made sure to show his appreciation and thank the room for welcoming him to Chicago. He then asked where he should get a famous hot dog stirring a wave of excitement in the room. Many yelled Weiner Circle, Chicago rowdy staple, but the name alone left Kid Bloom with a confused face. He wrapped up his set by performing  “Backseat Driver” and “Hold In, Hold On”.

Kid Bloom brought his Inner Light to Chicago and that energy shined bright through the smiles and screams of his adoring fans. Even though he was under the weather his mellow tone set a nice vibe for dancing the night away in a dimly lit room.

Tour dates:

3/20 – Treefort Fest – Boise, ID
3/23 – Vancouver, BC
3/24 – Victoria, BC
3/27 – Madame Lou’s – Seattle, WA
3/29 – The Independent – San Francisco, CA
3/30 – The Glass House – Pomona, CA