On Saturday, Role Model, the stage persona of Tucker Pillsbury, performed at The Bluestone in Columbus as the 17th stop on the North American leg of his cross-country No Place Like Tour. Pillsbury’s career has been on a continuous uphill climb after the release of his album “Kansas Anymore,” and his tour has made huge contributions to his success.
Before the show even began, the songs playing in anticipation of Pillsbury’s entrance were popular hits from artists like Sabrina Carpenter and Lizzy McAlpine. The song selection got the crowd singing along together and dancing before the show began, displaying how Pillsbury knows his audience.
Pillsbury show was hosted at The Bluestone, a beautifully renovated church-turned-concert venue packed with fans. Once he entered the stage, he began his performance with his upbeat album opener “Writing’s On The Wall” The song had the crowd jumping to the beat along with screams of excitement for the start of the performance.
Many fans waited outside the venue hours before the doors opened at 7 p.m. in the hopes of getting a front row spot. Pillsbury’s performances are known for his crowd work, and he frequently acknowledges fans and the signs in the crowd. Many fans find the waiting worth it.
Pillsbury is known for his persona on the internet. He is clearly well versed in pop culture references and often engages with it on his social media platforms. He successfully brings that persona to the stage, even after joking around with his fans after clarifying how much he appreciates them.
“I know I can be a d---head on the internet, but I really appreciate you guys coming here tonight,” he told the Columbus crowd.
The setlist stays consistent throughout all his shows. A majority of the songs are from his newest album, paired with his older hit “blind” and cover of The 1975’s song “Somebody Else."
A recent segment of his show he has been doing since the release of his song “Sally, When The Wine Runs Out” has been to bring one lucky fan or celebrity guest to join him on stage during the bridge. Notable “Sallys” have been podcaster Jake Shane and comedian Grace O’Malley.
In Columbus, “Sally” was a lucky fan who came on stage with flowers for the singer and captioned her TikTok with, “The man that got me through chemo! I love you.”
Despite Pillsbury’s cold, which he clarified at the beginning of the show, his energy was still vibrant on stage. He danced along with fans and handed the mic to the crowd when his voice was giving out.
Pillsbury’s opener, Debbii Dawson, was another highlight of the show before he even stepped on stage. With her bedazzled equipment and smooth voice, she perfectly set the tone for the night and got the crowd excited.
The show ended with Pillsbury’s lead single “Deeply Still In Love” as an encore. The crowd spent the last of its energy singing along with Pillsbury as he ended the song saying “I’m deeply still in love with you Columbus!”
