jxdn
Article by Brittany Ormiston
Jxdn was in a silly, goofy mood during his tour stop in Cincinnati last week. His idgaf personality and carefree spirit was displayed from the moment he set foot on stage with a pair of jeans, white Nike Air Force 1s, and no shirt to be found. “Scream it!” shouted Jxdn as he bounced on his toes, hair swaying through the air. He had the undivided attention of every single person in the venue. His signature eye roll during ‘SO WHAT!’ had the crowd go wild to which they screamed the lyrics even louder. The high energy level, intense headbanging, and crowd jumping in unison made for the perfect pop-punk show.
Jxdn’s bandmates matched his fiery energy, and did not hesitate to deliver an unforgettable performance. The drummer, Tosh, brought the heat as always. As the first verse of ‘BETTER OFF DEAD’ blared through the speakers, Tosh stood up and started to ramp up the crowd. He drummed so hard he accidentally threw his stick across the stage, and had to go retrieve it before finishing the track. Talk about hard-core. As the bridge of ‘Friends With Benefits’ transpired, Kenji, Brent, and Jxdn jammed out as they stood in a triangle with their backs up against each other. Kenji and Brent shredded the guitar riffs and bass lines of ‘Tastes Like Heaven,’ which is already an anthem for listeners without a doubt. This track was one of many unreleased songs on the setlist for the evening, and fans were far from prepared.
From eardrums bursting during ‘It Must Suck To Know You’ to tears rolling down during ‘Elevated Heartbreak,’ Jxdn’s next body of work is set to be groundbreaking. He went a different direction for ‘Elevated Heartbreak’ with instrumentals being laid back, and the song appearing as more of a ballad. He knelt down to sing the chorus, and did not hold back in the slightest. Flashlights illuminated the room as the crowd swayed in unison. Jxdn displayed his raw, crisp vocals even further during a cover of ‘Yellow’ by Coldplay. The performance was intimate and simplistic as Jxdn sat on a chair with the spotlight shining down on him. He had his eyes closed, and sang from the heart. These tracks were among the top favorites of the night.
As shown by these songs in particular, Jxdn is more than just a rockstar, influencer, and heart-throb. Behind his edgy facade and tough demeanor, Jxdn is compassionate and benevolent. The themes of his album, Tell Me About Tomorrow, focus on mental health awareness and self-reflection. The title track was inspired and written for the late Cooper Noriega, one of Jxdn’s best friends. “This is for you Coop,” whispered Jxdn before he performed it. He also adores kids and looks forward to seeing them at his meet-and-greets. During this tour, a little girl made him a matching best friends bracelet which he has not taken off since. His fans mean everything to him, and Jxdn showed his appreciation by throwing a dozen roses one-by-one into the crowd to close out the show in Cincinnati. Without hesitation Jxdn exclaimed, “You saved my life, and gave me purpose.”
Bogarts! in Cincinnati, OH on March 13, 2023
Photos by Everly Ormiston
