Concert Review: Zack Fox is Nothing But Laughs at Paradise Rock Club
Between being a Zack Fox fan since my freshman year of high school and the frigid temperature outside Paradise Rock Club on November 15 — the night I decided I was too cool for a jacket — I was incredibly anxious to get inside and see him perform. The night's tone was set when, upon entering, I was greeted with John Singleton’s movie Baby Boy being projected onto the front wall: Zack Fox is witty and knows his audience. The excitement of the crowd grew as the minutes ticked by. Every staff member who walked on stage elicited cheers and applause from the packed venue. By the time the movie began to wrap up, the opening act took the stage.
Image courtesy of @isayhah on Instagram
DJ Sky Jetta opened with an electrifying set. She has been Fox’s opener for his entire North American tour, spanning 17 venues. She did everything an opening act is supposed to do and more — Jetta dominated the stage, holding the audience in the palm of her hand. She transitioned from Sexyy Red’s “SkeeYee” to Panic! At The Disco’s “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” and other emo classics. She also didn’t let the beat drop in Kanye West’s “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1,” until she was good and ready. Sky Jetta kept the crowd guessing while never sacrificing musicality. She made every minute on stage count, even sprinkling in a knock-knock joke at one point. Jetta truly hyped the crowd up for the act to come and, in the process, earned many new fans, including myself.
After another brief Baby Boy intermission, Zack Fox took the stage. Fox points out that unlike other concerts, he did not open with a song, but rather a guided meditation that got the crowd laughing. This meditation was the first of Fox’s intermittent stand-up transitions between songs. Fox’s first song of the night was his 2019 single, “The Bean Kicked In,” a high-energy song that prepared the audience for the night ahead. Fox interacted beautifully with the crowd by involving them in his standup, keeping the attention entirely on him — most of the time. Fox’s projection of a “ZF” DVD screensaver caught the crowd’s attention, allowing him to show off his quick wit and diverting from his stand-up routine to comment on the audience’s silly fixation.
Fox played several singles, including his very first from 2018, “Square Up,” which amassed online attention due to both its comedic nature and collaboration with producer Kenny Beats. He also played a significant selection of songs from his 2021 debut album, shut the fuck up talking to me. The album's title track as well as “bane,” “uhhh,” “fafo,” “get off my dick” and “mind your business” were among the picks. Fox’s album is a strong debut that shows off his personal musical style with a consistent, yet dynamic sound from start to finish.
Despite his success in the industry, Fox’s career didn’t begin in music. Fox got his start in comedy, online. His background in comedy allowed him to transition effortlessly into the wordplay required of the rap music he now creates. Expanding his skillset to musicianship didn’t slow down his comedic endeavors, though — he now appears on a popular ABC sitcom, Abbott Elementary as Tariq.
Image courtesy of @fleetwoodsmackd on Instagram
Fox continued to play singles like “Marinate” and “Let’s Kick His Ass!” showing off his musical versatility with a divergent sound between every song. Fox’s ability to sample from multiple genres and eras, ranging from Playboi Carti to the Looney Tunes score (featured in “Let’s Kick His Ass!”) makes his range as an artist apparent. The energy in the room peaked when he instructed the crowd to create a Soul Train-esque atmosphere for his newest single, “dummy.” Fox created an entirely immersive and engaging experience in this performance.
The musician ended the night with another 2019 viral hit, “Jesus Is The One (I Got Depression),” alongside an important message. Referencing one lyric in the song “Free Palestine / Free Tay-K,” Fox expands upon this to include other global humanitarian crises, including the situation in Congo and ongoing racial injustices in the US. Fox is undeniably hilarious, but also incredibly socially aware. He uses his platform to both entertain and speak up about issues that affect people in every corner of the planet. His show remained exciting and strong throughout, and his energy never wavered. It was truly a night to remember.
Zack Fox is wrapping up his North American tour, but has scheduled performances to come in European cities. His music is available on all streaming platforms.