What to expect at Steve Lacy's "Oh yeah?" Tour: Setlist, start time and more

Welcome to SeatGeek Front Row, where music writers share their tips for attending the biggest concert tours around the country. For this edition, longtime Chicago-area entertainment writer Tricia Despres breaks down what it’s really like to see Steve Lacy’s "Oh yeah" Tour in person, from the songs he sings to the merch he sells and everything else in between.

Full disclosure –– there was every reason in the world for me not to enjoy the Steve Lacy concert. But leave it to this talented titan to make this 54-year-old woman fall in love with him in the span of one hour and 55 minutes. 

Maybe it was the way he continuously thanked his fans throughout the show for their love and dedication. Maybe it was the addictive nature of each and every song that made up his setlist in Chicago on September 30. 

Or maybe it was the pure sight and experience of watching a packed crowd of 18-to-24-year-olds singing every word and losing their collective minds in the process. This was a crowd in the act of living its best life –– and getting the chance to watch it will be something I will never, ever forget. 

But at first glance –– I thought for sure the night was headed for disaster.

What is a Steve Lacy “Oh yeah?” concert really like?

The first moment I felt sweat gather on my brow came literally seconds after I arrived at Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom and saw thousands of fans lined up as far as my bad eyes could see. There was a Fast Pass line leading from one set of doors to blocks away from the venue, and then a general admission line that stretched for even more blocks on the other side.

Of course, I had a GA ticket and had found myself standing at the very end of the Fast Pass line after walking what felt like at least a mile.

Rookie mistake.

Add to that the fact that it had literally been raining all day, and things could have easily gotten testy among the crowd. But there they were, waiting patiently and smiling as the wind whipped their hair and perfectly curated outfits. 

I won’t go into how I managed to skip much of the line –– but I did.

Once inside, I found my way to the side of the stage, where the Fast Pass crowd had yet to fill in. I found a historic wall to lean on, grabbed a Diet Pepsi for six bucks and prepared my perch for the night ahead. With every fan that ran in –– despite the yells from venue personnel to do the exact opposite –– the room began to pulsate with excitement, ultimately reaching the point of eruption when the California native stepped on stage to greet his frenzied fandom.

And from there, it was a ride of epic proportions.

What time does Steve Lacy go on stage?

With the show at Chicago’s Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom on Sept. 30 being just the second show of Steve Lacy's entire Oh yeah? Tour, it’s safe to say that many in attendance did not entirely know what to expect.

But they did know there would be no openers.

In fact, Lacy headed to his socials earlier in the week to make the proclamation of no openers, which made my early bedtime persona giddy with delight. With doors opening at 6 p.m., the crowd assembled there just milled around until about 6:48 p.m., when music began coming through the speakers.

With every roadie that crossed the stage, the crowd went nuts. At 7:09 p.m., moody smoke began wafting from the stage, adding to the already hazy atmosphere in the venue. A ‘Steve, Steve, Steve’ chant then began around 7:29 p.m., led by a portion of the crowd directly behind me standing by the somewhat quiet concession stands. 

But at 7:55 p.m., the lights went out –– and people collectively began to lose their minds. The twentysomething kid next to me may have shed a tear –– I can’t be completely sure. Soon, everyone’s phones were up in the air, eager to catch the first moments of a concert that they wanted the world to witness with them. 

At this point, there was literally a vibration coming off the thousands in attendance, as the anticipation began to build to a point where it felt like the place could erupt and the historic walls surrounding us could come straight down. The vibration shook my soul –– and that’s no understatement.

Finally, at 8:01 p.m., Steve Lacy took the stage.

What is Steve Lacy's setlist?

I’m not entirely sure what I loved the most about Lacy’s setlist –– the songs I wish I had memorized before the show or the endearing moments between songs where it was evident how truly appreciative Lacy was to be in this moment with the rest of us.

That’s what live music is all about.

Of course, with live music comes a few snafus –– and considering this was the second show of the tour, there were a few at the beginning, with Lacy noting that the band was still working out some ‘kinks.’ But from then on, it was smooth sailing, with the crowd taking on much of the vocals right alongside of Lacy as he proceeded to perform his album Oh yeah? from front to back. 

Biggest moments of the night? For me, it had to be the “Bad Habit” singalong.

Here’s the full setlist from Steve Lacy’s Sept. 30 Chicago show:

1. oh yeah? 2. the feeling 3. is it cool? 4. pure colour 5. show you me 6. doom 7. nothing 8. lovesexdrugbomb 9. nice shoes / in your world 10. bebe 11. C U Girl 12. Sunshine 13. Basement Jack 14. Static 15. Helmet 16. Ryd 17. Mercury 18. N Side 19. This Night Has Opened My Eyes (The Smiths cover) 20. Infrunami 21. Give You the World 22. Bad Habit 23. Dark Red

Encore: 24. the feeling 25. oh yeah?

What is the stage and production like?

To say the stage and production were simple is not a dig at the show or the artist putting it on –– but yes, there was not much to look at. 

Frankly, Lacy was all the crowd needed.

And to be honest, from my perch toward the side of the stage, I could not see much of a memorable backdrop. But what did make an impression was the use of lights and haze to create the atmosphere that each song deserved. The backing band never stepped into the spotlight either –– and there was really never a need for them to.

Steve Lacy was the star of the show. 

What merch is available?

The merch table was a tad underwhelming, to be honest. There were posters for $30 and short-sleeve, “Oh yeah?”-emblazoned T-shirts for $50. There were also long-sleeve tees for $65 and hoodies for $95, and, for a brief moment, the neon colors down the sleeves of the hoodies did have me wondering if I should stop and make a purchase. 

But nope –– not for $95. 

The biggest takeaway at the merch table was the fact that it was fairly empty at the beginning of the show –– mostly because the GA setup had most fans rushing to claim their spot on the dance floor before making their apparel decisions. But after the show, the merch stand was packed –– with one Aragon Ballroom employee even holding a sign at the main exit pointing fans towards the merch.

Now, there might have been some enterprising Chicagoans selling their own ‘merch’ outside of the venue for a low, low price –– but you didn’t hear that from me.

What do fans wear to a Steve Lacy concert?

Considering how many fans had already spent hours waiting in the rain before even getting their chance to show off their carefully curated outfits once inside the Aragon Ballroom –– I’m going to gently say I was rather underwhelmed by the clothing choices fans made.

I mean, a rain poncho ain’t cute. 

There were lots of long black T-shirts on the guys and short black miniskirts on the girls, along with the occasional pops of color from the suburban contingent and those looking to do anything but blend into the crowd.

Heck, someone even complimented me on my cardigan, which now that I think about it, might not have actually been a compliment.

Is a Steve Lacy concert family-friendly?

Make no mistake –– this was an all-ages show. There were fathers with their kids and mothers trying to look like their teenage daughters, and I’m pretty sure a 10-year-old with a purse more expensive than my first car pushed past me to get closer to the stage.

But family-friendly? 

Nah.

The lyrics were full of adult references. But heck, everyone there except me knew what they were in for –– and again, everyone was having a damn good time. 

No harm, no foul.

What to know about seeing a concert at Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom

Before the music even starts, there are a few things worth knowing about getting inside the Aragon and finding your spot.

What is it like getting into Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom?

As I mentioned previously, getting into the Aragon Ballroom was no easy feat –– especially when it’s pouring out and you arrive a half hour before doors open only to realize that much of the crowd arrived hours before you.

But once inside the doors, things weren’t much better.

Security was TIGHT. I’ve been to a few hundred concerts in my lifetime, and I’ve never seen security as thorough as it was that night. I almost had to apply my new MAC lipstick for the security guy to believe me that it was actual lipstick. And come to find out –– there was an unsubstantiated bomb threat that night that most concertgoers seemed to be unaware of at the time.

So, there was that.

And watch your step once you’re inside. I nearly wiped out on the stairs coming into the ballroom –– and almost did it again on the way out. Consider yourself warned.

Where should you stand at Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom?

It was fairly evident right off the bat that those who were willing to sit in the rain for hours were doing it to stand front and center right in front of their almighty Steve Lacy. And if you are the type who isn’t bothered by hot, confined spaces, go for it.

I am not –– meaning that I always tend to head to the sides of the stage. Granted, I could not see the whole stage, but I could see him. I could also get some fresh air, and I could lean on the wall next to me when my feet started barking. I also was near an emergency exit –– because yes, I’m that person who worries about little details like that.

What should you know about getting to and from Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom?

I might not be the best person to tell you the best way to get to the Aragon Ballroom –– because I took advantage of my husband’s willingness to drop me off and pick me up –– which is a pretty nice deal if you can make it happen.

But this is where my very understanding hubby comes into play.

He noted that parking was scarce, with a line a block long after the show of people waiting to pay and retrieve their cars from a lot charging somewhere around $60 kitty-corner from the venue.

When I exited, I turned to my left, walked a few steps and there he was waiting. And traffic was not bad at all, with the exit to Lake Shore Drive easily accessible and not very congested. 

How to buy Steve Lacy tickets on SeatGeek

If Steve Lacy is coming anywhere near your city, you probably already know whether you’re going.

But just in case you haven't gotten your tickets yet, start by heading over to Steve Lacy’s artist page on SeatGeek and checking his tour schedule to see if the Oh yeah? Tour is headed your way. Once you find your show, choose how many tickets you need and use the interactive venue map to find the tickets that work best for you. Once you’re happy with your choice, hit checkout and start figuring out which Steve Lacy song you’ll be screaming the loudest when he hits the stage.