On September 24, Jon Bellion took over the Hollywood Bowl for a completely sold-out night of spectacle.
Bellion’s return to the stage has been nothing but ordinary. After stepping away from the traditional label system and taking a hiatus from releasing music, he returned last year with a new album. Since then, he has played just three major headline shows: Forest Hills Stadium in New York, Red Rocks in Colorado, and now the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. All three sold out.
For an artist operating entirely on his own terms, the fan response says a lot about the relationship Bellion has built with his listeners. The crowd knew the words to nearly everything, singing from the opening lyric of the first song to the last moment as he walked off stage.
The show itself was beautiful.
For the first several songs, Bellion performed just with his band before the night expanded into a larger performance. The Los Angeles Philharmonic, conducted by Grammy Award-winning composer and arranger Charlie Rosen, joined him. This combination was almost surreal.
At times, the orchestra made the show feel like something out of a classic Disney film. Harps and flutes would fill the Bowl before suddenly giving way to heavy drums, huge arrangements, and Bellion’s extremely talented vocals. The contrast worked so naturally.
The setlist moved comfortably between Bellion’s older material and his newer work. Songs like “Luxury” and “Guillotine” brought everyone back to the music many of them, and I, had grown up with, while “80’s Films” was one of the biggest sing-alongs of the night. Songs from his newest album, like “Wash” and “Rich and Broke,” felt almost as popular as the old material, which was great to see.
One of the night’s biggest surprises came when Anderson .Paak joined Bellion onstage. Paak took over the drums for one of his own songs, turning it into something completely unexpected. But some of the most memorable moments came when Bellion wasn’t performing at all.
Between songs and even in the middle of the show’s energy, he would stop and tell the audience to be quiet and listen to the orchestra. He repeatedly pointed out how incredible they sounded, almost seeming like a fan watching the performance alongside everyone else. You could tell that this opportunity with the orchestra meant something to him.
His sense of gratitude carried throughout the night. During some songs, Bellion became emotional, occasionally fighting back tears as he sang and talked about how grateful he was to be doing what he was doing. After spending years away from the spotlight, there was something particularly meaningful about watching him stand onstage in front of a completely sold-out Hollywood Bowl and take in the moment.
For me, the night meant a lot. I grew up listening to Jon Bellion, so standing in the Hollywood Bowl and watching him perform these songs with a full orchestra felt like a full-circle moment. Hearing music that had been part of my life for years transformed into something this massive felt surreal.
Judging by the thousands of people singing every word back to Jon, they’ve been waiting for his return.
Keep Up With Jon Bellion:
Website / Instagram / Spotify / YouTube / TikTok
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