Pauli the PSM at DC9 Nightclub

BY LIZ BAUMMER (SHE/HER)

There’s something special about DC9 Nightclub. It’s a small concert space on the second floor of the building. There’s a stage in the corner, jutting out in a triangle shape towards the center of the room, a bar lines the back wall, high top tables off to the right. The space holds roughly 250 people and that’s the magic of it. Just enough people to get the energy through the roof but small enough that the venue feels comfortingly intimate. I can’t think of a better place to experience Pauli the PSM’s music than somewhere small with the strangers turned friends that I met 20 minutes ago waiting downstairs.

But before we got to experience Pauli’s music, we got to experience one of the most fun openers I’ve seen. Rovo Monty, a musician from Baltimore, turned the concert space into the nightclub DC9’s name implies. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t dancing along while taking pictures. The crowd, at this point, was small as people were still arriving, but you would never have been able to tell that based on the energy and participation. Everyone was having the time of our lives! And the experience only got better as Rovo Monty came into the audience to dance alongside everyone. On top of an overall incredible stage presence, Rovo Monty’s vocals were impressive especially while dancing simultaneously. A highlight of the performance was definitely when Rovo Monty mashed up one of his original songs with a cover of Tyla’s hit song Water!

After a phenomenal opener, the crowd mingled for about fifteen minutes, before the lights dimmed and Pauli the PSM cut through the crowd to hop onto the stage. Pauli’s stage presence is undeniable. Even with a crowd of people, Pauli has the ability to make you feel like you are the only person in the room. Along with their stage presence, Pauli brings incredible vocals to their performance. Fans got to experience Saucy, newly release song Milkyway, and Less I say (I <3 U) among other hits. There were several performance highlights including a performance of Cowgirl where Pauli repeatedly teased a fan in the front row for shouting out the lyrics. Throughout the song Pauli continually followed up the lyric “I know your creeping” by pointing and singing out “Emma” the fan’s name. Another highlight, was when Pauli played an unreleased unfinished song. It felt very much like everyone was sitting in the studio with them listening to them workshop the chorus of the next unreleased hit. Rounding out a trio of incredible abilities, anyone who is fan of Pauli knows their ability to play a variety of instruments including drums and keyboards which fans got to witness at the show. I would say for the whole night that the only thing that rivaled the smiles and joy of the crowd, was the smile on Pauli’s own face for the entire performance. It feels impossible to recap the entire performance in a single concert review.

While I could write for paragraphs and paragraphs about Pauli’s music, stage presence, and overall talents, there’s something even more special about Pauli. It’s one thing to be a great artist who makes great music. It is another thing entirely to be a great artist who makes great music while being a great person, and it is my unwavering belief that Pauli is all three of those things – although I honestly don’t think great a strong enough word to describe them. Spend 5 minutes in Pauli’s presence and you’ll know exactly what I mean. Throughout the course of show Pauli passed out roses to fans, brought a fan onstage to dance with him, had the crowd do positive affirmations, and invited a fan to sing with him at the microphone before donning a handmade hat they brought for him. Not to mention that as the show ended Pauli exclaimed excitedly “I have gifts!” before rushing to the side of the stage and pulling out a ziploc bag full of multi-colored friendship bracelets (mine is blue and purple and says ‘waiting’-it’s my new prized possession lol).

Even after the show, Pauli sat at the merch table talking to fans, signing autographs, and taking pictures. Soon the fans began to line up to have a few minutes with them. As someone who spoke to Pauli for about five minutes (and was a flustered mess the entire time), I can say the genuine care and interest Pauli listens to each fan with is touching. I watched it happen to the fans in front of me and experienced it firsthand myself. Pauli was genuinely excited to hear about Out Jamz and our mission to cover LGBTQ+ artists and help LGBTQ+ individuals enter the music industry. Pauli asked questions, stated eagerly that they wanted to check us out, and thanked me for being there and seeing them. It’s hard to describe exactly what it is that makes Pauli and the experience of them so special. Maybe it’s the energy, maybe it’s the love for their fans, maybe it’s simply the undeniable goodness that radiates from them. I may never know the exact answer to that question but here’s my promise: Go to a Pauli the PSM show. You’ll be better because of it (and you might even meet some new friends along the way).