Omar Apollo Performs at The Greek Theater in Berkeley

Image c/o Nicholas Zuniga

By Nicholas Zuniga
Entertainment Columnist

Just around the corner from Saint Mary’s College, thousands of folks gathered in UC Berkeley's Greek Theater to witness Omar Apollo perform the last leg of his “God Said No” world tour on Friday, October 4. It was a sold-out show, with at least 8,000 people who gathered to celebrate the lively singer (the Greek Theater has a maximum capacity of 8,500 individuals). 

Kevin Abstract opened the show with a bang. He performed some hit songs of his, like “Georgia,” and included music from Brockhampton, the band he formed in 2014, such as “Peach.”  Towards the tail end of the opening number, Malcolm Todd briefly made an appearance and had the crowd roaring with excitement.

The audience’s exhilaration was tangible by the time Apollo began performing. He began the show with “Be Careful With Me,” from his God Said No album, which was incredible to watch live. Beyond the God Said No tracks, he peppered into the setlist songs from his first album Ivory and his debut mixtape Apolonio, along with one of his smash singles “3 Boys.” 

At The Greek Theater, there is relatively limited on-stage space for theatrics and creative output. However, this was no boundary for Apollo’s production. His performance was embellished by vibrant - almost ethereal - lighting, which drew attention to the performance. He had a group of dancers who all greatly contributed to the sheer stage presence of the “God Said No” performance; these dancers complimented Apollo’s powerful and energetic dance moves. I’ve only ever seen him as a singer, not a dancer, but that has changed since watching him perform live. 

Many consider Omar Apollo to be a “rising star.” He has gained significant attention as a performer, particularly being celebrated by the queer Latinx community (Apollo being of Mexican descent, also having disclosed very early on in his career that he is gay). 

It is clear that Apollo feels love from his audience, love that he reciprocates. During the tail end of the performance, the singer took time to get close to the audience to sign merchandise and posters, while also taking pictures with the crowd. He also took time to address his parents and relatives who were located in the crowd, which was a very heartwarming moment. 

By the time I left the theater, I was so happy to have just witnessed a stellar performance by one of my favorite artists. I’d say that this is just the beginning of a very successful and fruitful career in the entertainment industry for Omar Apollo.