A rainy weekday night is no deterrent for Audrey Nuna fans, piling into Brooklyn’s Music Hall of Williamsburg in droves.
Pre-concert energy is always indicative of how a show will go: for chiller shows, people will mingle about, hang around the bar, or even arrive closer to the set time.
But this crowd wasn’t just milling around. They were up front, trying not to seem too eager but clearly staking out the best spots nice and early. The anticipation is palpable, and it’s the kind of feeling in the air that gets you excited even if you don’t fully get why just yet. This isn’t over-excited teenage fans camping out for prime barricade interaction real estate. These are working adults who, despite it being a dreary Tuesday, showed up early to get close to the action.
The excitement makes sense, as although Audrey Nuna is no stranger to performing, this is her first headlining tour. While fans may have previously caught her at festivals, or as an opening act, or in an odd solo show, the 2025 TRENCH tour is a first for both Audrey and her fans, a new way to see Audrey in a fully curated experience.
The show was certainly a lively one, one that will be hard to capture in words. It was the kind of show that made me want to keep my paper wristband on until the next day like I used to do in high school, just so I could show off that I was there. The kind of show that had me looking at strangers on the subway on the way home and thinking “Oh man. You have no idea what you just missed out on.”
energy levels
Nuclear. Atomic. Almost thought an earthquake had hit and a new San Andreas fault had just cracked open and swallowed up the fancy Williamsburg Warby Parker down the street but no – the shaking concrete floor was actually from everyone wildly jumping, a clear mirror of Audrey on stage.
Audrey Nuna pulled no punches in her performance – or maybe she did? Maybe she was even throwing punches. It was hard to tell, with the strobing flash lighting, frenetic crowd thrashing, and Audrey’s own whirlwind on stage. Picture this:
[STROBE FLASH] Audrey is at the edge of the stage, reaching out to fans
[DARKNESS]
[STROBE FLASH] Now she’s whipping her hair like a weapon at center stage
[DARKNESS]
[STROBE FLASH] Now she’s twisted herself into some sort of acrobatic backbend
[DARKNESS]
[STROBE FLASH] Back to hair whipping
The strobe light, in a bizarre way, almost steadies the energy, keeping a fixed beat of on/off/on/off to counter the speed at which Audrey ricochets from left to right, up to down. It’s like a metronome, and Audrey is the conductor, using it as a base to direct her own sort of symphony.
standout performances
“IdgaF” – if the show had to be summed up in one song, it would be this one. The second song on the setlist, it’s a strong as hell start but one Audrey continues to live up to. It got people jumping immediately – no soft intro needed. There’s something to be said about the sheer joy experienced when jumping and singing “I don’t give a fuck” in a crowd full of people doing the same. It’s like a core human experience.
“Mine” – sleek and fun sample of “The Boy Is Mine,” the repetitive “mine/mine/mine/mine” chorus hook had fans chanting along, no sign of energy fading despite being one of the last songs of the set. Less drastic and noisy than some of the earlier set’s songs, but still the same bona fide Audrey Nuna confidence.
“Dance Dance Dance” – only elevated by the live keys and drums provided by her backing band, “Dance Dance Dance” was an electric set that earned a frankly impressive amount of jumping from the crowd, who seemed to be taking the song’s title as a command. Unapologetically loud, this song was just plain fun.
“Baby Blues”: “Baby Blues” offers a softer, lo-fi vibe to the high-octane songs that precede it. With her hair blowing dramatically from the fan, softer steady lighting, and handlebars on the mic stand, it feels like a nostalgic bike ride through your old neighborhood. There’s a sorrowful feeling of some sort of loss through the song, but also a note of hope. It shows Audrey’s range as a performer, capable of showing a variety of emotions and solidifying that her presence isn’t a gimmick, it’s a natural expression of how she feels on stage.
high notes
The show was broken up into acts, a five-part performance piece that gives fans a holistic take on Audrey Nuna as an artist.
Act V, the last one, was the strongest. Audrey opened the section backlit behind a white curtain, casting a monstrous shadow onto the stage before bursting out in football shoulder pads and bulky, clawed gloves. Bathed heavily in red light, it’s a nearly grotesque picture – certainly an unladylike one.
But Audrey doesn’t seem to hold much regard for being “ladylike,” and it’s fun. The ways she contorts her body on stage, bending and kicking and flailing, or doesn’t control her facial expressions to stay “pretty” is refreshing. It’s exciting. Honestly, it’s relieving. This is not a concert where the audience needs to be concerned about how they look, it’s one where they should be focusing on how they feel, how the music moves them, and Audrey is leading by example.
The use of football gear, something so distinctly masculine, and claws, something so animal, are just so cheeky. This is an artist who’s taking up space in an industry that doesn’t like women, particularly Asian women, make too much noise. And frankly, she doesn’t give a damn who cares about it.
for fans of
Tylenol.
There weren’t a lot of X’s on hands in this crowd: fans here were grown. And with the amount of jumping, moving, headbanging, and dancing that goes on at an Audrey Nuna concert, your hunched over tech-neck is going to be sore the next day. It’s gonna be so worth it though.
final verdict
May have been her first headlining tour, but it’s far from her last. Cutting her teeth on opening runs and festival after festival, Audrey has honed her performance skills to their sharpest. This tour really drives home that good things come to those who wait;: fans may have had to hold tight for a few years to get this kind of experience, but Audrey Nuna made the wait entirely worth it.
Audrey Nuna will be performing at DABIN’s Stay in Bloom Festival in New York on May 31st. For more updates, check out her Instagram and YouTube.
For more recaps, check out our review of LA punk band The Linda Lindas here.
