The Afterglow Tour Fired Up Chicago and Lit Up The Salt Shed
- Ernesto Raul Aguilar
- Apr 24
- 3 min read
Article and Photos Contributed by Ernesto Raul Aguilar The Afterglow Tour with Bob Moses, joined by Cannons and opening act Oxis, arrived at The Salt Shed in Chicago on April 22 and delivered a night defined by atmosphere, pacing, and cohesion. The show unfolded with intention, each set flowing seamlessly into the next and shaping a larger emotional arc. It was a lineup that fully embraced mood and immersion, drawing the crowd in from the very beginning.
Oxis opened the evening with a set that immediately established that tone. Working through ambient textures, downtempo rhythms, and off-center beat structures, she created a sound that felt fluid and immersive, guided by a gradual pull that drew the crowd deeper in. Tracks like “Long Sardine,” “Flounder,” and “Piranha” hinted at the underwater quality of the set, where elements drifted, swelled, and dissolved into one another. There was a patience to her performance that stood out, with every moment feeling intentional and fully realized. She allowed space to do part of the work, letting subtle shifts in tone and rhythm reveal themselves over time. The result was a crowd that leaned in, fully engaged and locked into the atmosphere she created. It was an understated opening that set the foundation for everything that followed and gave the night a strong sense of identity early on.\
Cannons took that foundation and added shape and momentum while maintaining the evening’s atmospheric throughline. Performing without Paul Davis as he continues to recover from a recent medical emergency, the band remained composed and fully in control of their sound. Michelle Joy’s vocals were steady and weightless, gliding over polished, reverb-soaked production that filled the room with a warm, late-night glow. Songs like “Hurricane” and “Bright Lights” provided lift, pushing the energy forward while maintaining the band’s signature restraint. Mid-set, “Bad Dream” and “Desire” introduced a darker undercurrent that added depth and dimension to the performance. What stood out most was their control, with each moment feeling intentional and the transitions between songs unfolding smoothly and naturally. They closed with “Fire for You,” a moment that felt shared across the room, its familiarity and slow build washing over the crowd in a way that was both intimate and expansive.
By the time Bob Moses took the stage, the night moved into its most kinetic phase. Their set leaned fully into rhythm and repetition, creating a steady pulse that moved through the venue and carried the crowd with it. Built on cycles of tension and release, the performance thrived on control and timing. Tracks like “Tearing Me Up” and “Enough to Believe” served as central anchors, each rise and drop met with a unified response from the floor. “Desire” extended that momentum further, unfolding into one of the most driving passages of the night as bass and percussion took hold and pushed the energy forward. They closed with “Blink,” a finale that sustained the momentum and kept the energy in motion, leaving the crowd in that lingering afterglow the tour promises as the night carried out into Chicago.
Excellent article!