Loud looks, louder songs!
Before Ashnikko even stepped onstage, the mood outside ACL Live at the Moody Theater already felt like part of the show. Fans lined up in glitter, platform boots, mesh, bright makeup, fake fur, sharp eyeliner, and outfits that ignored every rule of subtlety. It was color in motion. Some looked cyberpunk, some looked club-kid, some looked like cartoon villains in the best way possible. Nobody came dressed to blend in.
Inside, the room carried that same energy. People traded compliments in the aisles, posed for photos, and screamed whenever the lights shifted. It felt less like waiting for a concert and more like entering a shared world. That’s one of the things Ashnikko does well. Her fanbase doesn’t just listen. They participate.
There were older fans, younger fans, couples, friend groups, longtime followers, and first-timers curious to see what the buzz looked like in person. Everyone seemed ready for something playful, loud, and a little unpredictable. After a sharp opening set from Royal & The Serpent, the room tightened with anticipation. Then the lights dropped, the screams hit, and Austin was fully in it.
ROYAL & THE SERPENT
Royal & the Serpent brought an energy like no other. Amongst the bright stage light that produced a beautiful silhouette of Ryan, there was also her angelic voice that silenced the crowd so much so, you could hear a pin drop.
Performing fan favorites like “Overwhelmed”, the crowd was gleaming, smiling from left to right throughout the entire set. One thing that is hard to forget about this set was the intricate acrobatics done during one song’s break in particular. It further pushed the assumption that Royal actually moves like a serpent.
ASHNIKKO
SMOOCHIES TOUR
Ashnikko understands that performance starts before the first lyric. The visuals, posture, pacing, and attitude were locked in from the moment she appeared. She entered like someone who knew the room belonged to her for the next hour and had no plans to waste time proving it.
Opening with “Sticky Fingers” was a smart move. It snapped the audience awake instantly and set a tone that mixed swagger with humor. From there, the set moved fast and confidently.
She had an extensive setlist, including some fan favorites from the pandemic era like “Daisy,” “STUPID,” and “Working Bitch,” which I personally remember dancing to like everyone else did on TikTok. Amongst those were newer ones from her latest release, Smoochies, including but not limited to, “Liquid,” “Skin Cleared,” “Microplastics,” and my personal favorite, “Smoochie Girl.”
Throughout the set, Ashnikko took us into the Smoochie World, where we witnessed her receive a lobotomy and apply lip gloss using the world’s biggest cardboard cut out of a lip gloss tube. When it came time to enter the slower part of the set, Ashnikko began “It Girl” with a personal story that a lot of people in the audience were able to relate to, me included.
Like every show on this tour, Ashnikko selected a special person via video submissions to become the Smoochie Girl of Austin. On this stop, San Antonio’s own Jessy B Darling was chosen to receive the special award. A local drag queen who has worked alongside our very own Kristi Waters, it was no surprise to me, at least, that Jessy commanded that stage the way she would during her performances at Let’s Be Honest.
This set was truly incredible from start to finish. From the concert goers wearing the most detailed outfits, to the story Ashnikko told throughout her set, it’ll be a hard one to beat.
How Ashnikko Built Her World
Ashnikko built her audience by refusing to fit one lane. Blending pop, rap, punk attitude, internet humor, and sharp visuals, she turned songs into characters and eras into full concepts. Born in North Carolina and later shaped by time in Europe, she developed a style that feels global, online, and unmistakably her own.
Breakout moments like “STUPID” and “Daisy” helped introduce her to a wider audience, but fans stayed because of the personality behind the tracks. She writes with bite, jokes with purpose, and presents confidence without feeling distant. In a crowded pop landscape, that clarity matters. You know an Ashnikko song when it starts.
When the lights came up, nobody rushed out. People stayed talking, fixing makeup in phone cameras, comparing favorite songs, and stretching tired legs after dancing in heavy boots. That always says something.
This show worked because it offered more than songs people already knew. It gave fans a place to be expressive without apology for a night. That matters now more than ever.
Ashnikko’s music can be funny, messy, aggressive, catchy, and strangely warm all at once. The live version carried all of that. Austin met her energy, and she returned it with control and personality.
Some concerts are just entertainment. Some become a temporary world people are glad they stepped into. This one felt like the second kind.
