Amsterdam, The Netherlands – Australian singer-songwriter and Grammy nominee RY X has embarked on his Eden Tour. After kicking off in Luxembourg on Wednesday, he had two sold-out nights scheduled at Paradiso in Amsterdam.
The Scottish singer-songwriter Jacob Alon was the opening act for the evening. With inspirations like Nick Cave and vocals reminiscent of Jeff Buckley, they are still at the beginning of his musical career, yet there were already some fans in the audience. With their acoustic guitar and intimate, introspective songs such as “Fairy In A Bottle,” “Confession,” and “Liquid Gold 25,” they managed to bring the venue to complete silence at certain moments. His debut album is still in the works, but they hinted at more new music to come. The songs they performed felt fragile and sincere, and they seemed to have a true gift for storytelling.
Just before RY X and his band took the stage, the venue was engulfed in a thick mist. The lights went out, and through the haze and minimal lighting, the silhouettes of RY X and his band appeared. As the mist swirled, a violin began to play, and the show opened with “Sweat,” followed by “Salt,” both from the 2016 album Dawn. Throughout both songs, the band remained almost entirely in the dark, with only a few backlights giving glimpses of the musicians, creating a mysterious and almost mystical atmosphere.
Next came “All I Have,” “You,” and “Tell Me”, the three most recent singles. “Tell Me” was released just a week ago, yet with its captivating chorus, it already feels like an RY X classic. “YaYaYa” showcased the band’s harmonies beautifully. With his delicate and emotional voice, RY X completely captivated the audience. The already stunning “Berlin” was elevated even further by the addition of live violin, taking the song to greater heights. The more electronic side of RY X came to life in “Oceans,” where the deep bass played a crucial role, transforming the venue into a sea of dancing bodies. On the backdrop, it looked as if water was flowing off the screen.
During “Shortline,” a dancer in a flowing white dress appeared on stage, performing a modern dance routine to the song. She ended up at the edge of the stage, and as the final notes faded, she disappeared seamlessly into the crowd, out of sight. The entire evening felt as though the audience was almost hypnotized by RY X’s angelic voice and the band’s atmospheric sound, but “Howling” seemed to break that spell, as I finally (though still softly) heard the audience singing along. Even those in the upper balconies were encouraged to stand up and clap along to the beat.
For the encore, Jacob Alon was invited back on stage for one more song. However, there were some technical issues with a guitar. In what seemed like a happy accident, the audience was treated to an extra song while the issue was being resolved. As the band played “Only”, the problem was fixed, and RY X, his band, and Jacob Alon closed the night together with “Love Like This”.
With a night filled with haunting melodies, mesmerizing visuals, and an audience spellbound until the very last note, RY X proved once again why his music leaves such a lasting impression. The European tour will continue throughout March and will be followed by an Australian tour in April. For tour dates, click here.
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Setlist:
Sweat
Salt
All I Have
You
Tell Me
YaYaYa
Bound
Berlin
Oceans
Shortline
The Water
Howling
Only
Love Like This ( with Jacob Alon)
Show Date 7/3/2025
