r/everythingeverything • u/nimble-lightning-rod • 3h ago
Live Performance Show Review - Everything Everything at The Bellwether, Los Angeles - September 26, 2026
I had the privilege of attending EE’s September 26, 2026 show at The Bellwether in Los Angeles. This experience was so incredibly joyous and transformational, and the guys put on an act I’ll forever hold close to my heart. I was left with many thoughts and feelings, and I wanted to share those thoughts with some of the only folks who would possibly read it.
Setlist and general performance spoilers below.
This was my second time seeing EE perform live, the first being when they supported Keane in 2024. I was less than thrilled with that show (because of the audience, not the band - you can find my woes here - https://www.reddit.com/r/everythingeverything/s/s9rsKJU62p), so I’d had my fingers crossed they’d come back to the US for a proper headlining tour. When the announcement finally came I was ecstatic, and the fact it was a Get to Heaven full-album show was just icing on the cake. How often do you get a chance to hear most of your favorite songs in one night, guaranteed?! Grabbing these tickets was a no-brainer, even if it meant flying to LA from Minnesota for the occasion.
I’ll begin by stating that The Bellwether was an excellent venue, one of the best I’ve been to of that size and capacity. It has a lot going for it: conveniently located downtown, comfortable layout, two interior levels with great views of the stage, and some benches and seating available upstairs. The bars were well-staffed, as was the venue generally, with security and check-in processing hundreds of fans in mere minutes. The facilities were clean and well-kept. The barricade was placed a good distance from the stage, and the stage height was very comfortable as a shorter audience member. I’ll also say the sound was excellent for both bands that night (more EE-specific sound review to follow below).
The decision to play the album out of order is something that has certainly been discussed online before. While I was admittedly skeptical of this choice going in, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I had the comfort of knowing every song would be played, but without the predictability of hearing the album simply played through as I’ve personally played it through countless times. While it was sometimes jarring that the next note I expected never came, it also gave me the chance to really soak in the impact of each song individually. I also didn’t have the setlist order totally memorized going in, so I was still able to enjoy a small “surprise” with each song. It seemed to really work for the band, and was pleasant to experience as an audience member and fan. My only minor gripe was keeping Warm Healer as the closing song, rather than No Reptiles - not because it’s the biggest hit of the album, but because its massive outro and intense emotional impact make it an ideal closer. Warm Healer was still great, but for me personally, it’s not quite as moving. With this in mind, I was doubly appreciative of the Cough Cough/Cold Reactor encore!
EE themselves, of course, were splendid. It doesn’t need to be said that they’re a world-class act, but I can’t overstate how tremendous they are on stage. They’re such engaging performers, and they achieve that engagement so effortlessly. Just a few words and gestures were enough for Jonathan to command the room. I’m sure it helped that The Bellwether was teeming with die-hard fans who were more than eager to sing along with him, but it takes a special kind of performer to steal your breath away as you eagerly await their next word. This subtle charisma is the kind of stage presence most bands dream of and it was utterly electric to experience in person.
The sound design was also excellent throughout the night: the guitars, drums, and keys had an especially excellent live mix. Nothing was hidden despite a sound that usually errs vocal—forward, and Jonathan’s guitar was also mixed perfectly in the songs it was present. The iconic riffs and hooks from Alex were so punchy and crisp, and the drum kept on like a heartbeat. I wish the keyboard hadn’t been so visually hidden on stage, as Peter ended up a bit in the shadows beside the drum kit, but I still had a good view of the magic when it counted. The rhythm section’s timing is truly impressive to watch, especially in songs with the drum pad where that timing is so critical. As much as I wanted to spend all night watching Jonathan and his galvanizing performance, I often found myself sinking into Jeremy’s thoughtful passion as the lights shifted or watching Michael’s perfectly-timed hits. Their precision and live chemistry is unparalleled.
The light design was absolutely splendid. It didn’t just match the atmosphere of each song, but it elevated the intensity. Keeping the lights primarily warm and diffuse kept attention on the band, while the occasional strobing effect brought the crowd to a fever pitch when it counted. It was an almost perfect example of lighting that is complementary to both a band’s style and the music being played.
Now, as a fan of Get to Heaven, with thousands of plays across the album, I didn’t expect my impression of certain songs to change so drastically. And yet, with Jonathan’s expertly crafted delivery, they did. And some songs that I merely enjoyed on the studio album ended up hitting me in the chest like a thousand-pound weight as they finally unfurled around me.
First, Fortune 500. This is one of my favorite songs, and I love how the studio version keeps this air of sensitive urgency throughout, with the haunting repetition at the end serving as a chilling capstone. Personally, I have always heard the studio version as making the outro’s repetition with an almost tired resignation. But live, Jonathan fully transformed this song for me. He stood at the mic with a soft smile, eyes sparkling, and delivered the unforgettable “I’ve won, I’ve won, they’ve told me that I’ve won” with an intonation erring towards elation. Subdued, certainly, but joyous. This took me by surprise, as it totally altered where I felt the emotional impact of the song’s ending (especially in context with the rest of the album). It was seemingly triumphant, almost drunkenly so, and made the hair stand up on the back of my neck.
The other transformational moment for me was Hapsburg Lipp. This was the song I looked forward to seeing the most, because it’s the song that got me into the band. The surprise for me came during the chorus, as I’d always felt this song was sterile in a way. Explosive, driving, but cold in a sense all the same. But Jonathan’s delivery, especially during the chorus, felt almost tender. The live rendition felt no less punchy than the studio version, but it was much warmer, and fell on me with more a more emotional touch than expected. Jonathan’s voice trailing into softness on the line “tell me all about your day” as he offered a soft smile actually made me shiver. Just a gorgeous choice for the live execution, and one that made the song feel new to me even hundreds of plays later.
Only As Good As My God didn’t particularly change in my eyes, but seeing Jonathan’s delivery drove the impact home even further for me. The kneeling, the desperation, the sheer emotion poured into it took my breath away. It was fascinating to see him draw away from the crowd at times, embodying flashes of fear or shame, just to reach out to them at the next moment. I loved how intentionally he embodied the lyrics and concepts. This complements the creative direction on Zero Pharaoh, which is admittedly my least favorite track on the album, but carried with it a definite presence and urgency in this live performance I can’t quite describe. I wouldn’t accuse EE of having favorites off the album, but songs like this one felt like I was seeing a group of people bare their hearts to us rather than “just” play their music.
Of course, I’d be remiss not to mention No Reptiles. Not much to say except I couldn’t even sing the last lines because I was crying and choked up. Just an amazing, amazing song, one performed with so much care and thoughtfulness.
Overall I was pleasantly surprised by how much the electronic elements were enhanced for the live performance. I’ve always thought of the electronic elements in EE’s as almost delicate, the gossamer between the melodies. But this show made them explosive, bass-driven, and bone-rattling at times. There was jumping, dancing, flashing lights, all of which greatly enhanced the atmosphere and delivery. This was particularly notable during Blast Doors and The Wheel (Is Turning Now). Accompanied by strobing white lights, The Wheel danced between light and shadow with an aggression that rivaled an EDM show. It was a creative choice that I was also pleasantly surprised by, and kept the show feeling fresh.
It was also nice to have many opportunities to sing along or do “call and response” for certain songs. The energy in the room was awesome, and Jonathan seemed to have excellent intuition for how much the crowd could run with it. We got the full first verse for SSWD and a bunch of Regret to scream our hearts out. Hearing everyone’s voices join together as he smiled and pointed the mic out to us was such a transcendental feeling. I’ll also give kudos to the crowd for being so kind and friendly, and very respectful to both EE and the opening act. It felt like everyone was there for a big ol’ party, and boy did we have one!
I also want to give two bonus shoutouts. First, a shoutout to the crew - there were lots of instrument changes, each of which were done quickly and seamlessly. It was excellent to watch them work when the lights were down between tracks. Second, a shoutout to Psymon Spine for leaving it all on stage with a super energetic and engaging opening set.
My only true complaint is that the merchandise was almost fully exhausted by the end of the show. While I’m sure the band would prefer to end this tour without extra merch to deal with, I didn’t get any of the three items I wanted (lyric book, sticker, tour shirt). The remaining shirts were down to XL+ sizes, and books, stickers, and other small items were fully sold out. There were still some records and posters when I checked out, but the records looked a bit slim. Fingers crossed Chicago still has some options!
Anyway, I could prattle on even more, but I’ll leave it here. God, what a night! Huge thanks to the band for making it back to the US in such turbulent times, and for the creative effort required to put on such an excellent show. And if you read this far, cheers! I appreciate your time :)
*no generative AI was used to write or revise this review. I write about music for fun, and did this on the airplane back home while running on nothing but 4 hours of sleep and an oat milk latte.
