Photo by Zachary Harrell Jones
Following the success of his 2021 debut album, Absolutely, Dijon Duenas returned to the stage to kick off his tour for his new project, Baby. This release was a surprise to all. After humbly posting a photo of his son just a week before the record’s release, Dijon sent his devoted fans spiraling with anticipation—the same fans that packed San Diego’s SOMA for the tour’s opening night.
Being the first to experience the album live in concert, the audience was undeniably overflowing with excitement. From playfully recreating Dijon and collaborator Mk.gee’s flow in their live performance of “Big Mike’s” to wearing the exact outfit worn on the cover of Absolutely, it was obvious that these fans were eagerly awaiting the night ahead. As the crowd began to fill the venue, this spirit only grew more palpable.
By the time 8:30 rolled around, the mass of some 2,300 people was restless, myself included. But at last, after many, many false alarms, the lights finally began to dim and the band slowly made their way onstage. And of course, repping a vintage Springsteen tee, Dijon made his entrance as the intro to “Baby!,” the album opener, drifted through the speakers. Accompanying him and his band were cherished mementos of his son; the Indiana Jones DVD and assortment of action figures that decorated the space served as a reminder of the sole inspiration behind this project—specifically his first two songs, “Baby!” and “Another Baby! —where he details the joys he has experienced from fatherhood. This energy set the tone for the rest of the show, which followed the album’s tracklist (with a few older favorites mixed in), where Dijon truly proved the depths of his boundless talent.
Taking his first detour from Baby, Dijon performed his celebrated hit from Absolutely, “The Dress.” Ever so slightly diverging from the recording, the live version embraced a warmer sound that left the crowd entranced, instinctively swaying to the smooth, jazzy rhythm. Dijon then pulled the energy back in for “Rewind,” an intimate performance that left me speechless. With bass that reached my bones and a rasp that touched my soul, Dijon sang with such emotion and intensity that I haven’t seen from an artist before; it was hard to tell if he was singing or sobbing as he revealed his fears of his son inheriting the flaws he finds within himself. This honesty and vulnerability lingered as he sang “jesse,” a poignant hidden gem from his 2020 EP, How Do You Feel About Getting Married?.
Though it is genuinely impossible to pick just one, his live rendition of “my man” might have been my favorite of the night. Masterfully alternating from heavy reverb to a completely isolated vocal, Dijon and his band found a way to make this song tug at our hearts more than it already has. He didn’t let us wallow in our emotions for too long, however. Immediately after leaving us spellbound, Dijon went straight into “Many Times,” a verbose track from Absolutely that had everybody singing (screaming?) right back at him. This energy bled into “Automatic,” an explosive piece filled with piercing synths that transformed the room into a sea of bobbing heads.
To end the show (or so we thought) was “Kindalove,” a heartfelt tune dedicated to his wife, Joanie. Putting his vocals at the forefront, Dijon hypnotized us with a stripped-back, chilling performance of the album’s closing track before sauntering off the stage. Not yet ready to say goodbye, the crowd erupted in a chant for one more song. So naturally, Dijon returned for an encore with “Rodeo Clown,” which needed no introduction—just a simple, “If you know it, sing it. Why not?”
And sing we did. The second the unmistakable opening line left Dijon’s lips, the entire theater wasted no time joining in. Fans were clutching their hearts and raising their hands as they sang along, their voices echoing every lyric in unison. Bound together by collective wonder, everybody in the room was utterly captivated, grateful to witness Dijon’s genius unfold before us.
Moments from an evening with Dijon:
