NIKI Sparks a ‘Buzz’ in The Vic Theatre

Equipped with a catalog of witty alternative pop tunes, singer-songwriter NIKI rocked The Vic Theatre Sept. 25 on her “Buzz” World Tour. 

The theater thrummed with anticipation as a crowd clad in leather and lace — per NIKI’s Instagram post assigning a dress code for each tour stop — awaited indie pop singer Allison Ponthier’s opening performance.

The night of silky vocals and propulsive drumming kicked off with Ponthier’s punchy “Character Development.” 

Ponthier’s setlist was stacked with illustrative anthems and introspective ballads exploring different facets of queer identity. 

During an acoustic segment, the Texas native’s unreleased ballad “Everywhere’s in Texas” was dedicated to those wishing for their hometowns to be more accepting places for LGBTQ+ people.

Ponthier engaged the audience with mid-song quips — “there’s a new ‘It Boy’ in town and she’s a lesbian” — evoking a chorus of supportive hollers. 

A curtain dropped after Ponthier’s set revealed a “Buzz” sign, fogged panes shielding column lights, guitar racks and a band’s deserted setup. 

As strobing lights and erratic crashes disrupted the still stage, audience members huddled close in anticipation. Emerging from a thick fog, NIKI strutted cooly on stage greeting loud whoops and cheers.

The Indonesian-American performer — dressed in all black with a sparkly lace top, leather skort and knee high boots — eased the crowd into a groovy set by means of the hesitant lyricism and slinky instrumentation of “Too Much Of A Good Thing.” 

The 25-year-old’s sugary voice turned sardonic in “Colossal Loss,” where synchronized lighting beats stressed the bite of sung insults.

“Burn (burn) a bridge (bridge), build a resume / Nice trade, and yet, you’re still a jack of none,” she sang.

“Backburner,” off her 2022 album “Nicole,” turned the disappointment inward.

“We’re gonna leave our shit at the door and sing and dance and cry and hopefully no one breaks up tonight,” NIKI said while chatting with the audience. 

Impassioned shouts of lyrics like “why can’t you look at what’s in front of you?” during “Focus” seemed to suggest the crowd didn’t quite take the singer’s advice to shed their baggage at the door.

“Strong Girl” was a welcomed relaxation in pace, with plucky guitar and soft drum patters. 

Racing streaks of light looked like shooting stars during “Blue Moon,” but NIKI soon returned to Earth for a cover of Katy Perry’s pop classic “The One That Got Away.” 

NIKI described “Did You Like Her In The Morning?” as “the kind of song you write when you don’t have an inner monologue.” 

The somber track called for minimal movement on stage, as the performer sat back on a stool and gently hummed a list of self-conscious questions for a lover. 

“Was she weightless in just your sweater? / And does it feel heavy now to look at me instead?” she sang.

Intricate guitar riffs in “Take Care” elicited whistles and whoops. The musician made a habit of switching guitars between songs and tossing used picks into the crowd. 

NIKI’s curiosity about Chicago prompted important inquiries like “is Portillo’s overrated?” which were met by mixed responses. 

After asking whether Chicagoans preferred the East or West Coast, NIKI revealed her partiality in “La La Lost You.”

“I mean, Manhattan’s nice / So are Malibu nights / You would know if you stayed / You would know if you put up a fight,” she sang, navigating quick-flowing melodies with polished tone. 

Emerging from another bout of nondescript clanging on a darkened stage, “Oceans & Engines” was lit by a sea of phone flashlights bobbing from left to right in the audience.

The band’s full backing returned for “Before” and “Nothing Can.” Dynamic lighting danced between the movements of two guitarists, a bassist, a drummer and a pianist. Prolonged instrumental breaks gave the musicians freedom to interact with each other and jump around.

NIKI reminisced about her past during “High School in Jakarta” — an ode to the people she knew and experiences she underwent attending high school in Indonesia’s capital, which is also her hometown.

The singer reigned the audience’s energy in for “Tsunami,” a sweeping ballad about falling in love. The room swayed to her soothing falsetto.

As the musicians left the stage in darkness, snaps of sound and flickering lights teased a finale. Reentering in “Buzz” branded vests, the band settled in for a final tune.

“It’s the anticipation when the amps turn on / Just cables and crackle / It’s the first flicker of the neon sign / It’s the words stuck in your Adam’s apple,” NIKI sang.

Aptly placed at the end of the night, “Buzz” describes the feeling of standing on the precipice, living in a stalled moment before everything changes.

After repeated “I love you’s” to fans, NIKI waved goodbye, leaving behind a theater humming with exhilaration.