Joji performs at The Anthem on Oct. 15, 2022. (Photo by Katie Child)

Having risen to fame in 2011 through his satire YouTube channels, and switching focus toward his professional music career in 2017, George Kusunoki Miller, better known by his fans as Joji, sold out The Anthem in DC recently, and he put on a show that we won’t soon forget. 

At The Anthem on Oct. 15, Joji’s show was unlike any other I’ve seen. Though I’d seen some spoilers on Tiktok from tour dates he’d already played, so many aspects of his performance caught me off guard in the best way possible. Just to briefly mention a few, Joji brought with him a trebuchet decorated with glowing light bulbs, a t-shirt cannon which he used not once, but three times, his Nintendo Switch, which he and his band used to play a quick game of Super Smash Bros mid-show, and an inflatable life raft for fans on the floor to toss around during his set. He threw a pretty fun show. 

Accompanying him on stage throughout his set was his opener, SavageRealm, who had unlimited access to a sound effect board which he used at his leisure throughout the show. Between Joji and SavageRealm’s stellar sences of humor, the whole show felt extremely intimate and casual. Not only was everyone connected through the music, but also through the hilarious bits that Joji threw in between songs. 

At first I wasn’t sure if I’d love the sheer amount of commentary that Joji includes in his shows, because I wanted to hear as much of his music as I could, but after going and witnessing his show live, it was the complete opposite. His entire time on stage ran smoothly, and I never found myself tired of his joke and wanting to skip to the next song. He’s an absolutely amazing performer. 

Stream top tracks by Joji on Spotify:

Joji played DC on his Smithereens Tour, which was sadly pretty short, and ended on the Oct. 20. DC was the third to last stop on the tour, and if you didn’t get a chance to see him this tour cycle, I would definitely keep an eye out for next time he comes to a city near you. Joji releases his album Smithereens on Nov. 4.

Joji’s setlist went as follows:

1. Sanctuary
2. Yeah Right
3. will he
4. Pretty Boy
5. YUKON (INTERLUDE)
6. I Don’t Wanna Waste My Time
7. Attention
8. Can’t Get Over You
9. worldstar money (interlude)
10. you suck charlie
11. Like You Do
12. Gimme Love
13. Slow Dancing in the Dark (Acoustic)
14. Slow Dancing in the Dark
15. Glimpse of Us

Below are additional photos from Joji’s performance at The Anthem in Washington, DC, on Oct. 15, 2022. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Katie Child.