Last November, I was thrilled to see that Australian singer Ruel announced his U.S. tour for his album Kicking My Feet, with a stop in Tempe, Arizona. Ruel was one of the first artists whose entire discography I knew like the back of my hand, and I became a genuine fan of his music during my preteen years. Having the opportunity to photograph this show felt very full circle and was a dream come true. 

The day of the show rolled around, and I made my way to Tempe alongside my best friend, with whom I ultimately became friends seven years ago because of a conversation about Ruel. We arrived at the Marquee Theater in Tempe alongside dozens of fans who were buzzing with excitement for the show. 

Openers Mercer Henderson and Chelsea Jordan completely exceeded my expectations. Chelsea Jordan graced the stage at eight and sang a couple of songs, which left me wanting to hear more from her. Jordan has one of those voices that leaves you speechless because it seems so effortless. If she ever has a headline show in Arizona, I will be sure to be there!

When Mercer Henderson took the stage, the entire barricade was singing her lyrics back to her. The entire audience had their eyes on her as she jumped around the stage with her bubbly and catchy bridges.

After Mercer Henderson’s set, a giant red door was rolled on stage by the crew. At 9:30 p.m. sharp, Ruel walked through that same door, and the crowd absolutely erupted. He kicked the show off with various songs off the new album, which the entire room seemed to already know by heart, singing every lyric back to him. 

He transitioned into “Dazed and Confused”, which was one of the songs I remember overplaying in 2019. He carefully integrated songs from every era of his career into his setlist, which left longtime fans feeling fulfilled. 

“Wild Guess” and “No News Is Good News” were my favorites from the album, so I was especially excited to hear them live. My biggest takeaway from the show was the strength in his voice. The live renditions of certain songs sounded even better than they did in the studio recordings, which reminded me why I love live music so much.