Alison Wonderland with Evan Giia
The Loner Tour
The Great Hall at Avant Gardner
Brooklyn, NY
April 15th, 2022
I think we can all agree that once you hit your late 20’s, it can be hard to get yourself out of the house for an event that happens later than 9pm. However, I had some extra pep in my step as I approached Brooklyn’s premiere EDM venue, Avant Gardner, around 11pm on the evening of April 15th. Australian singer and DJ, Alison Wonderland, was bringing her Loner tour to the industrial East Williamsburg venue for a sold out performance — recruiting Evan Giia to join her.
As I walked inside the low lit venue, people were strewn across couches in a sort of lounge area that offered beer and alcohol, along with the lost and found and Merch tables, all accompanied by an unknown DJ spinning in the corner. I made my way further through the maze of the venue and entered the Great Hall. Now this is where the party was just getting started! A young woman was playing an opening set as people poured into the venue, talking about how excited they were to see the Alison Wonderland live. Bodies poured through the several entrances of the Great Hall and not before long, a large crowd has amassed in front of the stage. The beat was pulsing through my body and lasers were shooting throughout the venue and I truly felt alive! I climbed the stairs to the VIP section, where I took my seat overlooking the sea of people below and prepared myself for a night of epic proportions.
Around midnight, I made my way into the tiny photo pit. Squeezing my way between massive amps and the barricade holding the overly excited crowd back, I looked up at the stage and saw a massive screen that read “Evan Giia” in a sparkly white font. About two seconds later, the lights went dark and Evan Giia graced the stage. Wearing the sleekest authentic outfit and pristine Air Force 1’s I had ever seen, Evan Giia was nothing short of a bubbly ball of energy. My camera struggled to focus on her as she bounced from corner to corner of the stage, rarely taking a moment to breath. For the Brooklyn based musician, this was more than just another show — this was her hometown show! “I’m from here! This is my hometown! So it means so much to me that y’all came out to see me and watch me perform”, Evan Giia said before delving into fan favorite “WESTWORLD”.
The floor never stopped bouncing and I became entranced watching a group of girls along the barricade as they slammed their heads back and forth, throwing their long locks into the mouths of the people behind them. Evan Giia’s performance came to an end and only a brief 15 minute pause occurred between sets before Alison Wonderland’s time had finally come.
Alison took to the stage and wrapped a pair of large headphones around her neck. She grabbed the microphone with her right hand and started playing music with her left, “Brooklyn! What the fuck is up!” She shouted and the crowd went absolutely mental. No further words were needed — Alison had captivated the crowd and the energy had skyrocketed within the first 5 minutes of her performance. I felt the bass in my veins as I stood next to the amp and watched her performance. She’s a small human being, but she commanded the attention of every single person in that room that evening.
Every so often Alison would alternate between standing behind her booth, climbing on top of it or coming out in front of her booth to connect better with the crowd. Alison played a lengthy, but extremely strong setlist that carried the performance through the early morning hours. My personal favorite moment of the evening was when Alison performed her newest single “Forever” and laid down in the center of the stage. It was a truly vulnerable and quiet moment among the hectic and loud noises going in. Other songs included “Fuck U Love U”, “I Want U” and cover of Kid Audi’s “Day N Nite”, Olivia Rodrigo’s “good 4 u” and Dua Lipa’s “New Rules”.
Alison concluded her set with “Bad Things” around 3am and thanked the fans for being there with her. The lights came on and everyone began their mass migration to the doors. Alison Wonderland fans poured through the streets of East Williamsburg, stumbling to find their way to their Ubers and the subway. A raging night of fun had come to a close, but we were all itching for more. I truly can’t wait for the next time Alison Wonderland comes to the Big Apple, all of us are waiting to welcome her with open arms.
Evan Giia
Alison Wonderland
