Days after packed show, Torontonians were hyped for BBNO$’s intimate return to stage

Following the largest show of his career, Canadian artist BBNO$ played a second, scaled down show in another Toronto venue, giving fans a very exclusive and personal experience.

Despite closing off his Internet Explorer Tour at RBC Amphitheatre a few days prior, BBNO$ took the Drake Underground stage on Wednesday night, as part of the NXNE music festival and conference.

NXNE is a week of shows, spotlighting more than 300 growing artists, across more than 30 different venues in Toronto.

Despite garnering millions of views monthly, BBNO$ decided to play a show at the Underground, for an intimate crowd of around 200 people – a stark difference from his near-16,000 capacity show on Friday.

Alongside DJs Noche and Disco Dan, BBNO$ put on a disco-themed show, playing remixed versions of his usual songs and adding in classic disco and dance music as well.

Fans express their excitement

Ahead of the dance party, fans spoke about how excited they were to be up close and personal with the popular singer.

“I’m here to see BBNO$ for the second time this week, it’s been too long,” Laurey S. told Now Toronto.

Laurey added that she jumped on the chance to see the artist to hear her favourite song again after the Friday concert.

“The idea of hearing “1-800” live a second time would really heal my soul, I think,” she said.

Being a huge fan of BBNO$, Laurey said she was looking forward to the intimate concert, even bringing custom “rainbow money” with BBNO$’s face on them to hand out, and throw during her favourite song with the same lyric.

“I’m hyped,” she said.

Chloe O. was such a big fan, that she flew from Scotland to attend the show.

“I walked two hours from where I’m staying to be here,” she said. “…I missed out when he played in Glasgow recently, I think I had other things going on and I was really upset about it so it means the world that I’m able to be here tonight.”

And Chloe’s money and time may have been well spent, as she was called out by the DJ in front of BBNO$ for being from Scotland, information she typed on her phone to relay, leading to the singer asking her to show off her accent by speaking into the microphone. Later, she also got to speak to the artist, take a picture, and get a smiley face drawn on her forehead during an impromptu meet and greet after the main set.

Marina is now a Toronto resident, but is originally from Brazil, a country BBNO$ has a significant following in, leading to him releasing a song called “Come to Brazil.” Marina said she was hoping to hear the song again after Friday’s show, as well as see BBNO$ closer than before.

“Every show is different and I’ve been a fan for a while…. I think this is a very unique opportunity,” she said.

Marina added that she believed it was important for Toronto to be a central hub for special events like Wednesday’s.

“It’s very nice to see different artists here,” she said.

Toronto residents Isabella E. and Cameron B. came together to the concert, with Isabella saying she was the one that convinced her partner to come.

“I’m the big fan [of BBNO$], I kind of made [Cameron] come,” she said with a laugh.

Wednesday’s show was a second chance for Isabella and Cameron to see BBNO$, as Isabella had to miss his tour show for work.

“I needed to come to this one,” she said. “I think I just saw [the event] Instagram and I was like… ‘omg I can go to this [show] instead.’”

Isabella added having events in Toronto was important to foster community.

“I feel like after Covid, the world became very disconnected, so it’s good to have events like this to bring people back together,” she said.

Following the show, BBNO$ joined the crowd to dance the night away, actively meeting almost every fan in the process.