Yeek, Filipino-American singer, songwriter, producer, DJ, graphic designer, and editor (not to be confused with yeek, the Atlanta dance), most known for his song “Only in the West”, sold out his DC show on April 11, National Pet Day. I felt like their adopted stray for the night, tended to sonically and emotionally.
Songbyrd felt like the perfect venue. It’s intimate and warm white lights strung across the ceiling allowed the band and the crowd’s energy to saturate the whole room.
His entourage transported the Cali breezy energy to DC, which in their case, I assigned new meaning to DC: Dope Crew, Dynamic Crew, Dapper Crew- you get the gist.
Collectively, they offered a melancholy and elated blend of Alternative R&B, Indie Rock, Indie Pop, UK Garage, Dance, Hyperpop, and Alternative Hip-Hop that fulfills my multi-genre cravings.
On a cold, rainy night, this show was the pick-me-up I needed.
Filipino & Toronto-based DJ Jenno opened with a jumping 45-minute set
Jenno, splendidly spun for about 45 minutes, wearing a cozy white quarter zip that came in handy for the weather.
His coverage of Afrobeats, R&B, UK Grime, Hyperpop, Trap, Jersey Club, Bachata, Brazilian Funk, UK Funky, and Jungle indicates that he is a musical omnivore.
Jenno played mashups including artists like Drake (from one Toronto brother to another), Young Thug, Big Sean, Wizkid, M.I.A., Doechii, Tommy Richman, 2hollis, and A.G. Cook.
A$AP Rocky’s “Fashion Killa” ethereally woozy instrumental mixed with Snoh Aalegra’s vocals from “In Your Eyes” felt hypnotizing. Like Snoh repeats “I get it, I get it, I get it, I get it”, I know talent and good music when I hear it.
Later came Frank Ocean’s “Thinkin Bout You (Brazilian Funk Remix)” and “Kid Cudi – Brazilian Funk”, both songs reverberated so strongly through me and almost prompted me to challenge strangers to a dance battle, if you catch my drift. While we wait for more Frank, thank God for producers and DJs putting us on with remixes.
Daft Punk’s “One More Time” instrumental mashed up with Stormzy’s bars in “Wiley Flow”, particularly riled up the crowd, prompting whoots from others and me. I wished that his set could happen one more time too.
I audibly said “What??” and “No way” uncountable times because I couldn’t believe he played songs like “Britpop” by A.G. Cook and deep cuts like “Digital Girl” by DJ Suzy.
He played remixes and created mashups that just scratched my brain. Each song left me eagerly anticipating more.
Following Jenno’s genre-hopping set, Yeek took the stage with his signature red goggles
Yeek shortly came out after Jenno and performed 18 songs from his albums and EPs MUUV, Future Reference, Valencia, IDK WHERE & the self titled Sebastian.
He arrived on stage, donning big bright neon red goggles on his forehead, an element featured in his trademark style for at least three years.
He said “Come on DC, show me what you got…Make some noise DC” & a patron yelled “arriba” with spicy rolled r’s.
The set started with the euphoric bouncy “In The City, Outta Town (Dance)” and I peeped that everyone recording around me couldn’t keep their phones still because they were dancing too.
Shortly after when he introduced “Brand New”, he pointed out what I reveled in too, saying
“Lotta beautiful people here. I see a lot of fits, the kinda sh*t I like to see” and a fan followed up with “sheesh”.
Some people had to have popped out with their newest fits.
Amid the blast I was having, there came a moment where I was slightly, but irrationally taken aback when Yeek introduced “Freaky (RGB)” by saying,
“We do a little ritual, nothing weird”. Internally, I wondered, “How freaky is this going to get?”
Turns out he just meant a tradition, one where a lucky and prepared fan from the audience comes to sing the song and we’d help them sing it.
He chose a young black femme and I heard someone behind me say, “She’s so pretty”, to which I agree. They reminded me of myself with the septum piercing and half-up, half-down braids, and black bomber jacket with jeans.
They were visibly nervous at first and exclaimed, “Wait, I’m gonna start by myself?” which made the whole crowd laugh. I couldn’t blame them at all, they did it scared & still ate that!
They got the details, the lyrics, the cadences, and the ad-libs too. We all roared!
After that small fan takeover, Yeek teased us, saying, “Dance party still going on, I don’t know why you stopped dancing.”
In between virtually every song with a talking portion, he made quips. Perhaps I’ve been under a rock, but I didn’t realize how funny Yeek is. But it adds up that such a perceptive person is also a joker.
He had me laughing, but also floating throughout with his band. The electronic tune “Feels like I’m Flying” amplified by the live drums really did it for me.
At a transition into his slower singles, he asked to see how long we could keep our hands up & wave side to side for “3000 Miles (Baby Baby)”. In a lighthearted manner, he instigated a little competition between our DC crowd and past cities to see who can wave their hands for the longest. I’d say the hands left standing after that arm workout lasted until halfway through the 2.5-minute song.
I enjoyed the fan engagement in this show and saw a fan shaking his head in unison with the glitchy ad-libs in “Back N Forth”. That attention to detail and level of in-tune-ness got me.
Yeek knows how to enhance a crowd’s experience, he suggested
“Let’s get some snaps, turn this b*tch to a cafe, sexy ass cafe “
He performed his songs “I’m Trying”, “Care”, and “Searching For Yourself”, featuring fellow alternative heavyweights Dominic Fike, Bakar, and Raveena.
For “$even”, another mid tempo rock single with Bakar, He finally put on his guitar. Seeing him in his instrumentalist element was captivating, and I didn’t want the jam moments with the band to end. After he performed, he got loud cheers to which he playfully responded with “Yeah I have that effect.”
Yeek didn’t leave us at the end of a come down, the mood picked back up for the indie rock hits Shake & Cleaner Air.
As a part-time mosher, I was enticed by people moshing, but after seeing a couple of people slip and fall within seconds of each other (they were helped back up), I just decided to take it all in from the sidelines.
He covered many mood bases with his angelic, full-bodied voice, from joy, desire, fear, despair, frustration, to acceptance. Catch Yeek’s tour visuals below!
The music in between sets and post-show was some of the best varied music I’ve heard at a concert, so props to Valencia House.
Yeek founded Valencia House in 2021, to serve as a creative house for all mediums of art.
Keep up with Yeek’s genre-bending influences through Valencia House NTS Radio where he shares a monthly curated “random” collection of music that he listens to and likes to share with the world.
You’ll hear nothing short of Electro, House, Rap, and R&B. He’s a tastemaker that treats his fans to an insightful listening opportunity that any fanbase would revel in.
The next day, Yeek and Jenno stopped by The Lot Radio in NYC for a B2B, so check out their bumping set while you’re at it.
As his song states, Yeek is truly “Slept On”.
It’s never too late to get hip. If you like Steve Lacy, Aminé, Mk,gee, Jordan Ward, ¿Téo?, beabadoobee, UMI, Kevin Abstract, Duckwrth, Paris Texas, Roy Blair, Sam Austins, Khruangbin, Cuco and pluko- you can certainly find a home in the Yeek community.
I’m looking forward to hearing more buzz and appreciation for Yeek this year and 2026, his golden year, which undoubtedly will come with more confusion with rapper Yeat.
Yeek
