With red lighting, background singers, and an easy confidence, Jack Harlow brought his new era to DC without losing the charm that keeps audiences locked in.
Jack Harlow recently brought The Monica Tour to The Anthem in Washington, DC, and for a venue that can feel massive depending on the artist, the night felt surprisingly intimate. The Anthem is built for big, loud shows, but Harlow never seemed interested in overpowering the space. Instead, he pulled the crowd into the world of the album.
A big part of that came from the production. The lighting was one of the strongest visual elements of the night on August 25, especially the show’s heavy use of red. It gave the stage a warm, moody feel that matched the tone of the music without becoming heavy-handed. The lighting was clean, focused, and intentional, creating a look that felt polished while still supporting the intimacy of the performance.
The background singers added another layer. They gave the set more depth, particularly during the slower and more melodic moments. Harlow’s music has always had a conversational quality, and the live vocals helped those songs feel fuller without overwhelming them. It made the performance feel less like someone simply running through tracks and more like a complete live show.
Watch the official music video for “Trade Places” by Jack Harlow on YouTube:
What stood out most was how comfortable Harlow looked onstage. He did not come out trying to do too much, and that restraint worked in his favor. His presence is relaxed, but it still commands attention. He knows how to talk to the crowd, move across the stage, and let his personality carry the quieter stretches.
That ease is a big reason the show felt intimate despite the size of the venue.
The set also found a good balance between the newer material from Monica and the familiar hits that gave the audience bigger release moments. Harlow did not rush toward the most obvious songs. He let the room settle into the newer sound first, allowing the performance to establish its own tone before leaning on the records everyone knew were coming.
There were clear shifts in energy throughout the night. During the more reflective songs, the audience listened closely and let the mood sit. Then, when tracks like “Nail Tech,” “Tyler Herro,” “WHATS POPPIN,” “First Class,” and “Lovin on Me” arrived, the room opened up. Phones went higher, voices got louder, and The Anthem suddenly felt more like the version of itself people expect during a major rap show.
Watch the official music video for “Lovin on Me” by Jack Harlow on YouTube:
The best part was that none of it felt forced. Harlow has a way of making confidence look casual. Even when the set moved into his biggest records, he did not overperform them or make the night feel overly rehearsed. He trusted the songs, trusted the audience to respond, and kept the pacing smooth enough that the show rarely lost momentum.
The red lighting and background vocals helped tie everything together, giving the performance a clear visual and sonic identity, especially during the material connected to the Monica era. It felt like Harlow was showing the audience where he is now without ignoring what brought them there in the first place.
That balance is not always easy with a catalog that includes introspective songs, laid-back cuts, and massive radio hits, but the transitions felt natural.
By the end of the night, The Anthem no longer felt especially huge. It felt like a room full of people following Harlow through different sides of his sound: the smoother records, the reflective moments, the confident tracks, and the hits that can still shake the room.
The Monica Tour stop in DC worked because it felt intentional, intimate, and polished without sacrificing the easy charm that makes Jack Harlow connect so naturally onstage.
Setlist:
“Trade Places”
“Lonesome”
“Prague”
“Luv Is Dro”
“Like A Blade Of Grass”
“Already Best Friends”
“My Winter”
“Move Along”
“Route 66”
“Way Out”
“Nail Tech”
“Denver”
“No Enhancers”
“They Don’t Love It”
“Is That Ight?”
“All Of My Friends”
“Living Alone”
“Against the Grain”
“SUNDOWN”
“WARSAW”
“GHOST”
“THRU THE NIGHT”
“Churchill Downs”
“Dua Lipa”
“SUVs (Black on Black)”
“Movie Star”
“I WANNA SEE SOME ASS”
“INDUSTRY BABY”
“Say Hello”
“Hello Miss Johnson”
“Tyler Herro”
“WHATS POPPIN”
“First Class”
“Lovin on Me”
Here are some photos of Jack Harlow performing live at The Anthem on August 25, 2026. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Olusola Fakinlede.
