One of the best things you can do at any concert is show up for the openers. I have been introduced and discovered so much great music by getting to a show early and checking out every band on the bill. One artist that I was thankful to discover was industrial pop artist Nyxx, as she was the opener on the Industrial Pop tour back in 2017. I have been following her since and eagerly waiting for her to come back to California. Sadly, I missed a couple one night appearances she’s made here, but when she finally announced her first headlining tour across North America dubbed the Hot Goth Tour, I knew I had to make it out to this one. The hot goths included artists Danny Blu and Die Sexual on the bill. I arrived at the Echo in Los Angeles with a big smile on my face seeing Nyxx’s name across the marquee, as did every fan attending this night who were dressed in the hottest goth attire they had.

Opening the night was electric body musique duo Die Sexual. They got the night started by taking us all to a goth club to start dancing. Mixing and programming the music was Anton Floriano whose heavy beats were infectious to the crowd. Not a sole in the crowd could be held back from dancing. While Anton was driving the beat that we were all dancing to, it was vocalist Rosselinni Floriano that added an extra layer of sexual tension to the songs. Dressed in a skintight latex body suit, with her breasts exposed except for some pasties, Rosselinni helped transform the Echo into a BDSM-esque dungeon. As she sang, she would constantly be wrapping the mic cord around her, almost encapsulating herself in shibari. A lot of Die Sexual’s songs are about giving into the body’s raw natural pleasures, and looking around the crowd, many dancing fans were feeling the lyrics along with the beat. Since Die Sexual are local to Los Angeles, I hope to see them performing again soon, but I know what songs I will be requesting at my local goth club in the future if they don’t already play them.

Up next was solo artist Danny Blu whose flamboyancy and energy overtook the crowd. Danny amped up the sexual tension in the room with knee high boots, leather garters, a giant codpiece, and a sleeve only leather top. Danny Blu knew how to work the crowd and feel like he was performing directly to each person individually, as well as to the masses. Constantly dancing and grinding across the stage. He was his own go-go dancer to his own show. In between certain songs he would also play a video interlude on the screen behind him. Including an iconic moment from drag superstars Trixie Mattel and Katya Zamolodchikova talking about the world needing more gay goths. Whether you were familiar with Danny Blu’s music, he played a cover of Janet Jackson’s “Rhythm Nation” that got the whole crowd singing with him. One of the most real and heart touching moments came when Danny sang his new song “Stranger.” The song is written about his connection with dad, but really can be applied to any relationship that was lost due to someone not willing to accept who your true self is and becoming a stranger. You could tell how personal this song is to Danny as he shed a few tears during it. Though Danny kept the music upbeat and lively with his other songs like “American Dream,” “Give Me Your Love,” “Bubble,” “Violence,” “Tidal Wave,” “Predator,” “Finish Him,” and ending with “Bad One.” Danny Blu left an immeasurable impression on the crowd who fed their energy right back to him.

Finally, it was time for our headliner. Someone I have been waiting seven years to see again and couldn’t be happier that it was for her own headlining tour. Nyxx hit the stage kicking things off with “Voodoo.” She first hit the stage with a long trench coat and glasses, giving off Trinity from the Matrix vibes, before ditching both to reveal a tattered gothic apocalyptic-esque attire. The fans went wild when she revealed this outfit as screams of “QUEEN!” could be heard by many fans. One of the biggest things I noticed about Nyxx’s performance compared to seeing her seven years ago was her confidence on stage and her ability to command the space. Locking eyes with multiple fans in the crowd, and dancing from side to side working the entire space. Fans were drawn into her, inching closer and closer to the stage. She was enticing them like a spider looking to capture her prey in her musical web. We also got to see her perform some of her new songs that have not been released yet. This showed the evolution of Nyxx from her older songs, which were more industrial pop and still great, but the new music felt more aggressive and in your face with songs like “FERAL,” “Gun,” and “PL.” She even took her vocals to a new level with these songs, adding more harshness to her singing, as well as modulating her voice. These treats were an exciting addition to her show, and we could not get enough of this transformation. With Nyxx working hard on creating her new music, this concert was a special treat as we got a mix of older songs, singles, and new music like “Diabolical,” “Noose,” “Nightmare,” “Hearse,” “Salt,” “Crown,” and ending with another unreleased track “Body Count.” With the final song Danny Blu joined Nyxx on stage. The two of them combined was more sexual energy than the Echo could handle, and the fans were drooling over every second we got of this final song.

Though I mainly came to see Nyxx, I am so glad I followed through with my ideology to show up for the openers. Die Sexual and Danny Blu are two artists I probably would have never discovered if it wasn’t for showing up for the entire bill. Die Sexual crafted beats that will let me dance in my room, and on my next trip to a goth club. While Danny Blu created music that just oozes sexuality and living for yourself. No matter how hard that may be sometimes. But it was Nyxx that brought the whole show home as she not only showed off her evolution as a musician, but as a performer. The Hot Goth Tour lived up to its name with everyone on stage embodying the freedom of sexuality. There are not too many stops left on the tour but do yourself a favor. Put on a good pair of headphones, check out their music on Spotify, and just get sucked into their music world. You won’t regret it.