Bryce Vine, the 36-year-old hip-hop pop artist, recently took his Motel California Tour to the historic Howard Theater in DC. Vine is known for platinum hits like “Sour Patch Kids” (2014), “Drew Barrymore” (2017), and “La La Land” (2019).
His songs are infused with west coast sunshine that can brighten any situation that you’re in. The easy-going, windows down vibes make for a perfect summer playlist, or a pregame playlist.
Vine performing in a theater setting during chilly February frankly felt wrong given his discography; I need Vine in an outdoor amphitheater space on a weekend without a care in the world. Yet at the Howard Theatre on Feb. 23, the stage design transferred me into a “summer mindset” with Bryce Vine’s name in lights accompanied by a Motel California sign — the kind you’d see driving down an interstate highway. The set was complete with fake plants, a beach chair, and a retro TV — props to production.
LA artist Jayo opened the show with happy-go-lucky energy and an infectious smile that beamed even from the back of the venue. Despite being mostly all smiles, his songs tapped into sensitive subjects like therapy, grief, and insecurities. He dedicated one of his slower songs to his deceased grandparents, before hopping on the keys. I thought Jayo’s stage presence was great, but his vocals got lost in the instrumental backings at times. Jayo’s drummer was killing it the entire time, but even the drums got drowned out. “Life Hack” was easy to sing along to, even if you’d never heard it before. “Comfortably You” had a “self-love” theme that was undeniably catchy.
Jayo announced the next song would be an unreleased track. “I like you, DC, do you like me back?” The crowd cheered and he said, “That’s the name of this next song” beaming from ear to ear. The lyrical content felt a bit middle-school, but it was impossible to not fall for Jayo’s positive energy. The single “Damage” (2024), which features Bryce Vine and Ian Evenson on the recording, makes for a great crowd singalong with a repetitive “la la la” section you’ll be humming for days. To introduce the song “Worst Case Scenario,” Jayo said, “Whether you’re here with your main chick, side chick, or just went through a breakup, I hope this does not happen to you,” which got some chuckles and cheers from the crowd. Before departing the stage, Jayo instructed the audience to say “AYO JAYO.” Easy way to get a crowd to remember your name.
Watch the official music video for “Worst Case Scenario” by Jayo on YouTube:
Bryce Vine took the stage looking effortlessly cool in a sweatshirt reading “you’re so pretty,” sunglasses, a gold chain, and a Georgetown hat. He began with the 2024 single “Motel California” — the title of the tour, and what he’d later reveal to be the title of his next album. The tempo increased for the 2022 track “American Dream,” and the lyrics are more relevant than ever. “Love is a Blessing” off the album Carnival (2019) is a colorful, groovy tune with ’90s hip-hop beat. The energy ramped up for “Margot Robbie,” a single I wasn’t too fond of when it came out in 2023 — to me it just felt like an attempt at replicating the success of “Drew Barrymore.” With that being said, the song is meant for a party/concert setting, and isn’t meant to be taken too seriously. The surprise Jayo appearance during the performance definitely made the song more memorable. It was during this song where I noticed Vine’s shoes– white converse with doodles relating to his songs. I thought it was a nice touch, and could really only be noticed if you were on the barricade.
Vine said in amusement, “On a Sunday?,” after performing the Lazy Fair EP hit “Where the Wilding Things Are.” He laughed and said, “Does anyone have to work tomorrow?,” to which the crowd grumbled, “I have a day off tomorrow,” he said smirking. Someone threw a friendship bracelet onstage and Vine caught it with such grace and slipped it onto his wrist with ease. “What’s new with me you ask?” Vine bantered, “I got a dog. That was a good thing. She’s on tour turning into a diva.” Vine remarked that his second album would be coming out this year — a whole six years after Carnival. Vine revealed he’s been an independent artist for a year, which has its pros and cons. Semi-jokingly, Vine stated, “you are the system, DC,” which would become a running “joke” throughout the set.
Vine introduced his next song “Drugs” to which someone shouted “I LOVE DRUGS.” He laughed, “that’s what I was going for. That’s the message. You are the system.” After that song he said, “You did so good. You make the system seem like it’s working” and trailed into the song “Sunflower Seeds.” Vine stuck the microphone stand out into the crowd, and they did not disappoint.
Watch the official music video for “Drugs” by Bryce Vine on YouTube:
For “San Junipero,” Vine’s dog was brought onstage and they cozied up in the chair in front of the TV. He played two new songs from the upcoming album: “Vine Street” and “Los Angeles,” titles via the setlist. One of them heavily reminded me of Halsey’s 2015 song “New Americana” — the track had a distinct 2015-tumblr-feel.
During “The Fall,” Vine fake-fell into the crowd and got up close on the barricade. There was a random interlude into TLC’s “No Scrubs” and he sprayed water all over the crowd. Vine played a few more unreleased Motel California tracks and said “you are my taste-testers.” He played “50 seconds” of a song that has a mysterious “featured” artist on it, so I will be awaiting that reveal. The unreleased song “Rocky Mountain” spotlighted an acoustic guitar and had a bit of country twang to it.
Vine asked the audience if anyone has kids before his next new song, which got a mixed response from the mostly Gen-Z and Millennial crowd. He introduced “Brand New Broken Home” as a song for a future child, apologizing for how messy the world is. It was simplistic, with just Vine and his touring electric guitarist, once again with a blooming “country” sound.
The energy bolstered again for “On the Ball” and “I’m Not Alright,” which temporarily turned Howard into a rave. The high energy with the drums and bass is where Vine is at his strongest. “Empty Bottles” had an “emo” feel to it and was complete with a crazy guitar solo. That song along with “Guilty Pleasures” were two of my favorites for the night. He said goodnight and flashed a peace sign, but everyone knew he was coming back.
The first encore song was another new one: “Good 4 Nothing.” Vine asked, “you guys ready to go home yet? Should we play a couple more? Alright, fine.” A girl not too far away was fervently screaming “DREW BARRYMORE!” The song “Drew Barrymore” takes me back to being on a bus to a high school softball game. The girl screaming reminded me of the teammates belting while the song played from someone’s lackluster speaker. It’s wildly catchy, and no wonder it went 2x platinum.
Watch the official music video for “Drew Barrymore” by Bryce Vine on YouTube:
During “La La Land,” Vine changed the lyric “waste your time with me in California” to “waste your time with me in the District of Columbia,” and was received with fanatical cheers. Vine ordered “the system” to give themselves a round of applause before the finale. “Sour Patch Kids” is peak 2014/2015 summer joy. The melody stays stuck in my head for days — even as I write this. I attended the show with a friend, who was having the time of her life, and nothing makes me happier than seeing my friends connect with a show.
Overall, the set was a solid mix of older classics and upcoming hits. I expect more touring from Vine this year, especially after working out the kinks with his Motel California material. I hope to one day see him in a sweaty pit on a hot summer day — the perfect setting for a Bryce Vine concert.
Here are some photos of Bryce Vine performing live at the Howard Theatre on Feb. 23, 2025. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Carolin Harvey.
And here are some photos of Jayo opening Bryce Vine at the Howard Theatre on Feb. 23, 2025. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Carolin Harvey.
