Ashnikko in Vancouver

Ashnikko In Vancouver Brought Chaos, Catharsis, and Queer Euphoria to a Sold-Out Orpheum Theatre

Ashnikko in Vancouver was a full-scale celebration of individuality, liberation, and unhinged pop spectacle. Making her long-awaited return to the city for the first time in three years. The North Carolina-born Smoochie Girl transformed a sold-out Orpheum Theatre into a glitter-drenched fever dream with the Smoochies Tour. Proving once again that the artist many first discovered through the viral success of “STUPID” has evolved into something more significant. Ashnikko’s become an unmistakable force in modern pop. While a fearless creative and powerful symbol within queer culture. Smoochies served as the night’s backbone. Anticipation for the show had been building long before doors opened. Tickets vanished quickly months in advance, and by the time fans poured into the historic venue. It was obvious this was never going to be an ordinary concert. The Orpheum looked less like a traditional concert hall and more like the world’s most fabulous gothic runway meets anime convention and queer underground fashion gala.

Victorian-inspired silhouettes, platform boots, shimmering makeup, lace, fishnets, charms, and blue wigs in tribute to their beloved Smoochie Girl. Turned the room into a living extension of Ashnikko’s universe. It was overwhelming in the best way possible. Every outfit felt like a declaration. Everyone in the room seemed to be in on the same agreement: tonight was about showing out your weirdest, loudest, most unapologetic self. Naturally, one of the funniest sights of the evening was spotting a few younger attendees whose parents may not have fully understood what they had signed up for. Between the lyrical content and the sheer level of sensual chaos about to unfold, it’s safe to say whatever conversations on the ride home were probably unforgettable.

Still, there was never any doubt the turnout would be massive. Ashnikko in Vancouver marked a major return, and Smoochies gave fans every reason to make sure they’d show up. One of the most compelling things about Ashnikko’s catalogue is how radically each release reinvents the last. Tracks like “Trinket” deliver bubblegum hyperpop. “Chichinya” flirts with a glossy K-pop, and “Full Frontal” leans fully into shameless instincts. Yet, beneath all the camp and chaos, Smoochies also reveals a more vulnerable edge. That emotional depth is best captured in “It Girl,” the album’s striking finale. Ashnikko confronts and symbolically destroys the perfectionist in her. Unsurprisingly, it led to one of the most anticipated moments of the night. So even after a delayed start, the crowd’s patience never fully cracked. If anything, it only made the anticipation burn hotter.

A Theatrical Entrance for Pop’s Agent of Chaos

When Ashnikko finally emerged, crawling through a tiny door built into the set. The Orpheum erupted. From opening image alone, it was immediately clear this would be more than a straightforward set. The stage design leaned heavily into a surreal, storybook absurdity. Feeling somewhere between Alice in Wonderland and Tim Burton (makes sense). Checkered floors, oversized props, and twisted signage gave the stage the feeling of a demented fantasy marketplace. A sign reading “2-for-1 Boyfriend” sat alongside another advertising “Full Frontal Lobotomy Here.” A perfectly absurd visual encapsulation of the world Ashnikko’s built.

The first blow came in the form of “Sticky Fingers,” which needed no warm-up. The crowd was locked in, shouting back every infamous lyric with conviction. That energy escalated as “Microplastics,” “Lip Smacker,” and “She’s So Pretty” followed. Each one greeted like a fan-favourite anthem. Thousands of voices ricochet’d off the Orpheum’s walls. Turning the venue into something far sweatier, stranger, and more fun than it was probably designed for. One of the night’s strongest surprises came not from the production, but from Ashnikko herself. Between songs, she proved unafraid to drop the theatrical veil and speak candidly. After apologizing repeatedly for the late start, to which she admitted she lost track of time. It was such a blunt explanation that the crowd seemed to forgive her almost instantly. There was something disarmingly funny and endearing about it. But beyond the humour, she also made space for sincerity. Ashnikko spoke openly about her love for the queer community. Emphasizing how precious that connection is to her. At one point, she touched on the current political climate. Urging fans to remain strong in the face of systems actively working against them. It was a brief but deeply resonant moment that tightened the room. For all of Ashnikko’s gleeful vulgarity and cartoonish chaos, she understands exactly how important these spaces can be.

A Setlist Built Like a Dream

From a structural standpoint, Ashnikko in Vancouver was impressively dialed in. The pacing was sharp, the energy was expertly managed, and the 25-song setlist struck. Naturally, Smoochies dominated the evening, with tracks like “Trinket” and “Smoochie Girl” landing exactly as intended: sticky, theatrical, and irresistibly catchy. But, wisely she avoided the set feeling too era-specific. Older staples like “Working Bitch,” “STUPID,” and “You Make Me Sick!” were woven in. Giving longtime fans plenty of moments to lose their minds.

When the stripped-back guitar of “It Girl” rang out, the temperature in the room changed instantly. The breathless, high-camp spectacle suddenly became intimate. Maybe it was the country-leaning that subtly nodded back to her Southern roots, or maybe it was simply the weight of the song itself. But the shift landed hard. Smiles softened. Eyes welled up. Ashnikko embodied “It Girl.” The song’s violent internal imagery, centred around killing off the perfectionist version of herself, turned the moment into something closer to live performance art than a conventional pop ballad. In a pop landscape still obsessed with eternal youth and surface-level reinvention, it was refreshing to witness an artist speak so openly about growth, self-acceptance, and the strange beauty of becoming.

The Finale

Of course, Ashnikko was never going to leave the city emotionally gutted for too long. Following the catharsis of “It Girl,” the set lurched back into pure hedonistic release. “Full Frontal” and “I Want My Boyfriends to Kiss” reignited the room instantly. The switch was seamless, and it highlighted one of Ashnikko’s greatest strengths. Her ability to move between vulnerability and absurdity. That same tension between sincerity and shamelessness reached one of its most entertaining peaks during “Itty Bitty.” A gloriously raunchy, hyper-confident bop. It was playful, explicit, self-aware, and met with absolute devotion by a crowd that clearly came ready to celebrate every chaotic second of it. Then came the final knockout punch. Nostalgia.

Closing the night with “Slumber Party” and “Daisy” was a masterstroke. Both tracks remain cornerstones of Ashnikko’s ascent and still hit ferociously. Lyrics were screamed back with near-spiritual conviction. For a few minutes, the theatre stopped feeling like a seated venue entirely. Becoming something closer to a giant, writhing dance floor of queer and communal catharsis. It was perfection. After performing 14 songs from Smoochies, spread with her discography. More than anything, it felt like a final reminder to the crowd to stop shrinking themselves, stop apologizing, and never lose sight of who they are when the lights come back on.

Thank You

I’d like to thank Ashnikko and her wonderful team for allowing me to experience and capture Ashnikko In Vancouver. If you’d like to find a future date of the tour, please visit here: https://www.ashnikko.com/

Ashnikko in Vancouver