Concert review: OK Go | 07.13.24, The Pageant (with photo gallery)

Photo of OK Go’s Damian Kulash by Laura Jerele

I had never seen an OK Go concert so I wasn’t sure what to expect, and damn, they put on one hell of a show! Complete with copious amounts of confetti from the start (and throughout the show), fun storytelling, bandmates ribbing one another for starting the wrong song because they didn’t have a setlist, and some really kick ass poppy rock n’ roll. Part of the ribbing was poking fun at themselves about their sporadic album releases, quipping “One of our salient qualities is putting out albums every 12 years or so,” before diving into their new song, “Love,” which was incredibly well received. 

They sounded amazing and their lights were deep with intense pops of color, and with the confetti flowing into the stage fog and falling into the crowd, it felt we were part of the show. Confetti was EVERYWHERE! A cool surprise was vocalist Damian Kulash climbing off the stage and onto the table tops, wading deep into the audience to play songs “This Is How It Ends” and “All Together Now” right in the middle of the crowd. It made the Pageant seem even more intimate as the crowd was ultra-silent and gave all their attention to the moment. The band (comprised of Kulash, bassist Tim Norwind, drummer Dan Konopka, and keyboard/guitarist Andy Ross) also treated fans to a fun Q&A session between songs, discussing tattoos, their experiences in Japan, their favorite music videos, and the emotional experience of working with the Muppets—highlighted by Kulash’s confession of crying while meeting Kermit.

As part of a four-city mini-tour, we’re lucky they made St. Louis a stop! OK Go reminded us that they are more than just their technically amazing and memorable music videos, they’re a super fun live band with an excellent catalog of music that is highly underrated. The show was lengthy with about 20 songs (yes, they rocked out their hit “Here It Goes Again,” sans treadmills) with a three-song encore ending with “The One Moment.” They are a band that really knows how to have fun and create an unforgettable live experience. And I’m pretty sure they broke the bank with those confetti costs! | Laura Jerele