Kimberly Yu

RUEL knocks on San Francisco’s door

Ruel opened his set in San Francisco by stepping through his signature red door, immediately setting the tone for the night. He was joined on stage by his guitarist and drummer. Ruel made every moment count, performing songs from his EP Kicking My Feet with older favorites, while also sharing the exciting news that a continuation album, Kicking My Feet & Screaming, is on the way soon.

As the night came to an end, Ruel surprised the crowd with a cover of “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper, before closing with “Kicking My Feet”. My personal favorites were “Dazed & Confused”, “YOU AGAINST YOURSELF”, and ” GROWING UPS IS __”. And Judging by the crowd, I wasn’t the only one. The fans moved with the music, sang with the people they came with, and left with memories they wouldn’t soon forget.

Jordan Ward Refines Modern R&B On The Apartment Tour

The sold-out show started at 9:30, and you could feel the momentum building up as Jordan Ward stepped on stage. He opened with “Stranger,” then rolled right straight into “Noisy Neighbors” and “Ross Fit,” setting a late-night R&B vibe that carried through the rest of the set. The 1 hour and 15 minute set leaned heavily into his newest album, BACKWARD, running it nearly from front to back, allowing the fans to enjoy his newest project fully. As the night almost came to an end, “FAMJAM4000” came on, voices rose, and phones lifted, drawing one of the strongest responses of the night as the crowd sang along in unison.

The production remained minimal, mirroring his “apartment,” and transforming the stage into a lived-in, personal space. A television, mini treadmill, and two chairs were arranged across the stage. Accompanied by a live band, the production felt intentional. The combination of the apartment-inspired set and live instrumentation created a performance that felt both immersive and artistically cohesive.