Poppy is not an easy artist to explain—and that is exactly what made her performance at Chicago’s Riviera Theatre on July 24th so interesting. Part pop concert, part metal show, and part surreal performance, the Constantly Nowhere Tour showed why Poppy has built such a dedicated following over the past decade.

Poppy first gained attention for her strange, almost robotic internet persona and sugary electronic pop. Since then, her music has taken a much heavier turn. Her albums I Disagree, Negative Spaces, and Empty Hands have pushed her further into metal and industrial sounds without completely abandoning the catchy melodies that have always been part of her music.

That contrast was on full display in Chicago. Poppy opened the show with “Constantly Nowhere,” immediately setting the tone for the night before moving into “have you had enough?” Her roughly 75 minute set moved between newer material and older fan favorites, including “Concrete,” “Scary Mask,” and “V.A.N.” She closed the main set with “If We’re Following the Light” before returning for an encore that ended with “new way out.” The performance was loud, intense, and full of energy, keeping the crowd
engaged throughout the night.

One of the most interesting parts of the Constantly Nowhere Tour is how it brings together different sides of Poppy’s career. Rather than focusing only on Empty Hands, the set moves through songs from several eras, showing how dramatically her sound has changed. She also plays guitar during parts of the show, adding a more personal, musician-focused element to the performance. With metalcore bands LANDMVRKS and Thousand Below opening, the tour also places Poppy firmly in a heavier live-music setting. The result is a show that feels less like a single-album tour and more like a look at where Poppy has been—and where she is going next.

What makes Poppy different is that the weirdness never feels like an accessory. The music, visuals, fashion, and mysterious persona all seem connected. At the Riviera, that created a show that felt distinctly like Poppy rather than a standard rock or metal concert. Beyond her unique style, Poppy is also a remarkably talented artist, able to move between genres, play guitar, and deliver both melodic and heavier material with confidence.

For fans who have followed her through her different eras, the Chicago show was another reminder of what makes her so compelling: you may not always know what Poppy is going to do next, but you can usually count on it being something unexpected

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