EKKSTACY Forever Tour Review

Robbie Howard

Music Director

On July 22nd, Canadian artist EKKSTACY brought his Forever tour to Austin, Texas, performing at The Parish for a crowd of punk, emo, and alt-leaning fans. The tour follows the release of his latest album, Forever, which dropped on May 16. Best known for his breakout hit “i walk this earth all by myself,” EKKSTACY has quickly become a voice for Gen Z’s darker emotional palette.

Orlando-based artist Max Fry opened the night with a set rooted in indie, soft-grunge, and alt-pop. Performing songs from his newly released album Far from Perfect, which dropped on June 27, and some of his earlier material. Fry brought a high level of energy that energized the crowd and made his set truly memorable.

Max Fry’s set was packed with memorable moments that kept the crowd hooked. His performance of “Darkout,” his very first song, gave longtime fans a nostalgic highlight, while newer tracks like “Stain” and “Obsessed” showcased his evolving sound. EKKSTACY also made a surprise appearance holding a massive sign that read “I ❤️ Max,” With max acknowledging and saying “Thats my biggest fan right there.” The moment added a playful break in the set and showed a genuine friendship between the two artists.

Max eventually ended his set with the song “Zombie,” encouraging the crowd to run in a circle mid-song. The audience didn’t hesitate—people sprinted around the pit, laughing, moshing, and fully embracing the chaos. As the song came to an end, Max thanked the crowd and thanked his drummer and guitarist for a wonderful show. Dressed in a black suit, Max joked about sweating through the “hot Texas heat,” a comment that got a good laugh and made him feel even more connected to the Texas crowd.

EKKSTACY took the stage around 9:15 p.m., casually walking out with his band to practice and warm up in front of the crowd. With bassist Hannah, guitarist Eric, and drummer Sean Friday by his side. EKKSTACY in the middle of their warmup paused to acknowledge that “it was a sad day in music,” noting the passing of Ozzy Osbourne. The crowd took a moment of silence out of respect, before the band eased into the official start of the show. Things kicked off around 9:30 p.m. with “Hide My Face,” and the energy exploded from there.

During “If I Had a Gun,” the first full mosh pit of the night erupted, with bodies colliding and fans screaming along to every word. At one point, a fan named Angel jumped on stage before jumping into the crowd, surfing over a sea of arms. It was one of many moments that showed how deeply EKKSTACY interacted with the audience throughout the night. Between songs, he asked people how their day was going, cracked jokes, and even encouraged the rest of the audience to jump on stage and crowd surf. Which many participated in.

At one point, he spotted a shirtless guy with a massive back tattoo, complimented the ink, and appointed him the official “mosh pit solider,” calling on him to form a circle for the next fast-paced song kicked in. The energy was chaotic but always playful, with Stacy blurring the line between performer and peer, making the crowd feel like part of the show rather than just spectators.

One of the more emotionally charged moments of the night came during “Keep My Head Down,” where Stacy slowed things down and asked the crowd to turn on their phone flashlights, filling the room with soft, glowing light. That atmosphere contrasted with the intense bursts of energy during tracks like “Forever” and “Sadness,” where mosh pits opened instantly.

During “Seventeen,” Stacy unexpectedly broke into laughter mid-verse, catching himself as he reflected on the lyric “some days are too good to be sad.” The crowd laughed with him; it was a vulnerable moment that captured the emotional honesty at the core of his music.

In a particularly funny moment, Stacy attempted to balance a toothpick in his mouth while performing onstage and failed, laughing it off with the crowd. Later, he handed the mic to a fan who was visibly ecstatic to shout out drummer Sean Friday. The support from tourmate Max Fry also continued who at one point, Max jumped into the mosh pit, adding even more chaos to an already wild show. These spontaneous touches gave the performance a personal, unfiltered feel that made every fan in the room feel like they were part of something unique

As the lights dimmed and the final notes echoed through The Parish, it was clear that EKKSTACY’s Forever tour was more than just a concert. It was a raw experience. Between Max Fry’s breakout charisma and EKKSTACY’s fearless vulnerability, the night blurred the lines between artist and audience, performance and therapy session. In a world that often feels distant and digital, this show reminded everyone in that room of the power of live music to connect, to cathartically scream, and to simply feel. For a generation still figuring things out, that connection might just be everything.