Crystal Kay is All Smiles and Powerhouse Vocals in Her First Ever Show in Washington DC
- Maggz
- Sep 9
- 4 min read
The energy in the intimate Pearl Street Warehouse venue in the iconic Wharf of Washington DC was electric as fans filed in for a night filled with upbeat music and dancing. Fans had waited for years to see a Crystal Kay tour and finally had a chance to see her perform live on the CK25: The Tour, celebrating 25 years of her career. Photo collage Crystal Kay t-shirts, vinyl albums, and tote bags were held by most attendees, fans eager to get a good spot towards the front of the GA floor area or upstairs in a reserved seating section.
Crystal’s band entered first onto the small stage inside the intimate venue, hyping up the crowd as they took their positions. Crystal appeared on stage a few moments later in a sequined crop top and shimmery, hot pink pants with sparkly bobby pins in her long hair - a vision of 90s nostalgia perfection. She was smiling wide from the top of the show, greeting fans happily as she performed her opening set of “Hard to Say,” “Ex Boyfriend,” and “Girl U Love.”
In her first moment speaking to the lively crowd, she encouraged them to “dance your ass off, sing your ass off” and shared how excited she is to finally be performing in Washington DC. Crystal danced and swayed along with the music, moving around the stage with the practiced ease that only comes from years of performing her own music.
The crowd was so loud, singing along to every song and dancing in the GA area, even fans in the seated areas were on their feet for most of the show. They sang along loudly to hits like “Teenage Universe,” “Girls Night,” and “Sweet Friends.”
“Ya’ll are about to blow my ears off, I love it!” Crystal shouted at one point, to which fans excitedly responded with a chorus of “I love you!” The crowd never let her forget that they were excited to be there and there never was a quiet moment or dip in energy throughout the night. They knew the words to most of her songs, singing loudly when Crystal held out her microphone during each song’s chorus.
Crystal seemed truly happy on the stage and in front of such a lively crowd, eyes sparkling and hands clasped, bowing to accept long applause and standing ovations in between numbers. Her band was all smiles too, laughing along with fans as they called out from the floor and sharing in the jubilant atmosphere.
Crystal shared her early memories of wanting to pursue a career in music: “I decided I wanted to become a performer when I was two years old and saw two people on MTV - y’all remember MTV?” The two performers in question were Janet and Michael Jackson, inspiring her to work hard in singing in hopes of one day achieving the same level of success. Needless to say, her hard work paid off, releasing her first song at the young age of 12.
The venue, Pearl Street Warehouse, opens up onto the boardwalk area of the marina and those passing by were able to hear Crystal’s stunning vocals through the open windows of the bar area. Some people at the bar even appeared to just be looking for a place to grab a beer and instead were treated to her beautiful performance, recording clips on their phone and asking the bartender if they knew anything about her. The stage of the venue was far too small for a singer of her stage presence and impact, her energy radiating loudly and bleeding out into the warm summer night.
Towards the end of the show, Crystal teared up at the display of support from the crowd, turning to dab her eyes before laughing and admitting that her eye makeup was getting messed up by the tears. “Is my lash off?” she asked one of the fans in the front row and the crowd laughed and cheered with her.
“We finally did it after 19 years! You guys were dming me, begging me - we finally made it happen,” Crystal shared, reflecting how loved she is by North American audiences and how much they had longed for this tour. Crystal truly connects with her fans, showing her gratitude for their countless years of support. Many fans feel her music is so nostalgic for them and witnessing her perform serves as a way to transport themselves back to a different time in their lives. This also goes for Crystal’s most successful single, Japanese track “Koi ni Ochitara,” which fans sang along to, swaying to the upbeat track.
The highlight of the show had to be when Crystal brought two fans up on stage to perform the choreography of the chorus of “That Girl.” The trio danced together to loud cheers and Crystal was animated the whole time, hyping each of them up. She warmly hugged both of them as they left the stage when the song was over and returned to their spots in the crowd.
A night to remember for every person in attendance, Crystal’s show is one that will be on the minds of her fans for years to come. She is a seasoned performer and artist who is highly skilled in commanding the attention of a room and making sure everyone at her show is on their feet dancing until the moment she leaves the stage.
Comments