Pop Break Live: Benson Boone ‘Fireworks and Rollerblades’ World Tour at The Fillmore Philadelphia on April 14, 2024
Singer-songwriter Benson Boone, one of the hottest new artists in music right now, brought his Fireworks and Rollerblades Tour to The Fillmore in Philly on April 14th. The TikTok sensation has almost 7 million followers worldwide and is one of the most exciting new artists to emerge in years. His debut album Fireworks and Rollerblades was released on April 5th and debuted at #6 on the Billboards top 200. His viral smash hit “Beautiful Things” is the biggest song in the world right now according to Billboard.
I knew this night was going to be special. When I pulled up to the venue about 90 minutes before the doors opened there was a long line of fans that wrapped around a few blocks. I could tell they were already fired up. Often fans skip the opening acts and arrive late but these fans were in for a treat when fellow TiKTok star Mimi Webb opened up. This British popstar really put on a great show and she definitely had alot of her own fans there as they sang along to many of her songs. She had a great vocal range and stage presence and connected with the audience immediately. Highlights included “Red Flags”, “Good Without” and “Freezing”.
Boone sat down at his piano and opened his set with “Intro,” the first track off the new album. The song is only a little over a minute long yet I have never heard so much emotion put into such a short song. It was dramatic and a great start to the show. He was backed by a talented three-piece band. Throughout the night he was funny and endearing and his chemistry with his fans was magnetic. It was a predominately female audience so he busted on some guys in the audience because he could just tell by their deer in headlights look that their girlfriends or wives dragged them to the show. It was funny. His emotionally charged lyrics are very relatable and it brought some audience members to tears. He gave an incredible lifetime memory to two guys from the audience who got engaged right on stage. He also wowed us with his backflip skills during the night in which the crowd cheered loudly for him on every single one.
The set included all the songs off his debut album. The audience sang along on a lot of them. His voice is distinct and stunning at times. Songs that stood out were “Slow it Down,” “Cry,” and “Forever and a Day.” There was a sweet moment during the show when Boone sang the beautiful gut wrenching song “In the Stars.” It’s about the loss of his grandmother. Prior to singing it he had asked the audience to put away their cell phones as the song meant a lot to him. He got a little emotional during the song so the audience had to finish the last chorus for him. It was touching and a goose bump worthy moment. This was such a great crowd throughout the entire night.
The show ended with his monster hit “Beautiful Things.” This was one of those nights where you just want to relive it over and over again in your head. It was like we were all witnessing something special. He took the crowd on an emotional rollercoaster that was real and heartfelt. It’s been a long time since a performer has affected me like that and I was not alone. The sky is the limit for this young man. Benson Boone is a total original. What a memorable night.
