Steve Lacy brought his North American Oh yeah? Tour to The Anthem on Sunday, Oct. 18, marking his return to Washington following his Give You the World Tour in 2022.
The tour supports his third studio album, Oh yeah?, released in July. Written and produced by Lacy, the album features collaborators including SZA. With no opening act and a sold-out crowd at The Anthem, the evening demonstrated how far Lacy has come since his earliest viral hits.
Fans began lining up early in the morning, and the queues were still moving as the scheduled 7 p.m. start approached. The performance was pushed back to 7:30pm to give everyone time to enter the venue.
Lacy emerged onto a custom sloped stage sporting a noticeable change in appearance: He had cut off the signature braids that defined his look during his previous tour. The crowd erupted as the opening chords of “oh yeah?” filled the room.
He moved seamlessly into “is it cool?,” a collaboration with SZA that explores the emotional baggage of self-sabotage. The performance showcased Lacy’s increasingly confident vocals and musicianship, suggesting that his time away from touring had helped him refine his craft.
Before the third song, Lacy took a moment to acknowledge his relationship with DC. He told the audience that while other cities had been slower to embrace his music, Washington had supported him from the beginning. He also pointed to a personal connection: His sister, who attended Howard University, was in the audience. When he asked whether that made him an honorary Bison, the crowd responded with an enthusiastic affirmation.
An early burst of energy came during “doom,” a song exploring the validation-seeking tendencies of modern dating. Crunchy guitar riffs and pounding drums gave the track a punk-inspired edge before it opened into an extended, seven-minute instrumental exchange between Lacy and his backing guitarist. The contrast between the song’s romantic frustrations and its aggressive instrumentation made for one of the evening’s most compelling performances.
Watch the official music video for “doom” by Steve Lacy on YouTube:
Throughout the two-and-a-half-hour set, Lacy demonstrated an easy rapport with the audience. Early in the show, he began taking song requests from fans near the barricade, even working some into the performance. He also spent several minutes signing posters, CDs, and other memorabilia before joking that he needed to return to the setlist to avoid cutting songs.
One of the night’s funniest moments came midway through the performance, shortly after “Static.” Lacy suddenly announced, “Hold on, I have an idea,” and stepped to the side of the stage for a brief conversation.
When he returned, he declared, “Alright, guys, Steve Lacy is gonna perform this one for you!”
A fan then walked onstage wearing a button-down shirt reminiscent of Lacy’s signature style. Introducing himself as “Steve Lacy,” the audience member joined the real Lacy for a duet on “Helmet.”
The collaboration got off to a hilariously rough start when the fan began singing into a microphone that was apparently turned up far too loud, startling Lacy and overwhelming his in-ear monitor. The unexpected mishap only added to the playful atmosphere.
The final stretch of the concert turned toward the songs that helped propel Lacy into mainstream recognition. The excitement reached its peak with the opening notes of his breakout hit “Bad Habit,” followed by the instantly recognizable bassline of “Dark Red.”
Watch the official music video for “Bad Habit” by Steve Lacy on YouTube:
During both songs, Lacy frequently stepped away from the microphone, allowing the crowd to take over entire lines. The audience responded enthusiastically, transforming the performances into massive singalongs.
Returning for the encore, Lacy and his band delivered “the feeling,” a song centered on longing for emotional reassurance. The evening then came full circle with a reprise of “oh yeah?,” bringing the performance back to where it began.
At The Anthem, Lacy demonstrated that his appeal extends well beyond the viral hits that introduced him to a wider audience. His musicianship, humor, and willingness to engage spontaneously with fans gave the concert a personal quality despite the size of the venue. The performance showed an artist comfortable with his success and increasingly confident in his ability to hold an audience’s attention.
## Setlist
Set 1
oh yeah?
is it cool?
the feeling
pure colour
show you me
doom
nothing
lovesexdrugbomb
nice shoes / in your world
bebe
Set 2
Only If
C U Girl
Sunshine
Basement Jack
Thats No Fun
Lay Me Down
Jars of It
Buttons
Hate CD
Amber
I Think I Should (shortened)
This Night Has Opened My Eyes (The Smiths cover)
Static
Helmet (with audience member “Steve Lacy”)
Some
Ryd
Mercury
N Side
Infrunami
Give You the World
Bad Habit
Dark Red
Encore
the feeling
oh yeah?
Setlist source: Setlist.fm
All photographs from Steve Lacy’s performance at The Anthem on Oct. 18, 2026, are copyright and courtesy of Caden Forrester (@flicksby4ster).
