Review and photos by Katrina Gelety

Niko Moon’s These Are the Days Tour came to the Roxian Theatre in McKees Rocks, PA on November 22, 2024 with Sophia Scott as opener. I have been listening to Sophia for almost six years now, and I was ecstatic that she got to come back to Pittsburgh.

Sophia Scott opened her set with one of my favorite songs, “No You Didn’t.” The hysterical lyrics are about partying too hard the night before and hoping those who saw you out don’t bring it up the next morning. I don’t think there was a better way to start the set off as the energy of that song and the playfulness of the lyrics provide the perfect introduction to Sophia. 

Sophia also sang two of her most recent singles “Wildflowers” and “Buy a Round.” It was my first time getting to see both of these songs live, and she knocked them out of the park by showcasing her powerhouse vocals – which many people on the internet have compared to Carrie Underwood. “Wildflowers” details Sophia going through hardship only to come out of it healed and “growing wildflowers.” Sophia’s song “Buy a Round” is what I like to call “The Prequel to ‘No You Didn’t.’” The lyrics are about having such a great time out that you aren’t thinking about the consequences of any actions – you’re just having a great time! 

At the end of Sophia’s set, and also at the end of the show, Sophia took the time to talk  to and take pictures with each person who wanted to say hi. She is effortless when it comes to interacting with people, making sure to have long conversations as well as taking as many pictures are necessary until fans have the perfect one. I always enjoy getting to chat with her as well as give her the biggest hug. This night, I made sure to thank her for being the very first artist to let me photograph her set in December of 2023. Because of Sophia, I’ve had the opportunity to take pictures of so many of my favorite artists.

Please do yourself a favor and listen to Sophia Scott. She just recently released a beautiful song called “Tumbleweed” that you can go and check out. If you’re curious to know, my favorites are “Strangers Again,” “City Limits,” and “Plastic Rodeo,” but you really can’t go wrong with any song in her discography. 

Niko Moon took the stage after Sophia’s set, and his stage presence immediately struck me. He is constantly running around the stage and engaging with the audience, even doing cheers with his cup with fans in the front row. Moon’s set-up on stage is extremely bright with tons of lighting which I feel makes complete sense with how positive, fun, and uplifting his music is. 

The day of the show was the release day of Moon’s new EP, These Are the Nights, and it added an extra bit of magic to the show. He used the audience as “guinea pigs” to see how it would be performing some of the new songs live, and I have to say, I don’t know if it could have gone better. Everyone was thrilled to hear those songs in the same way they were thrilled to hear Moon’s older music. 

When it came to the crowd, I have NEVER witnessed an audience having as much fun as I did during Niko Moon’s set. It felt like one ginormous party where every person was lost in the moment in the best possible way. I can understand why Moon mentioned seeing this show on his calendar and counting down the days until he got to come back. Pittsburgh absolutely adores him. 

One of my favorite moments of the set was when Moon dialed down the energy in order to perform his song “Better Days.” He gave a speech letting the audience know that nothing lasts forever and that hard times will pass. It hit close to home for me, and to have it followed up with my favorite Niko Moon song was a beautiful moment that will stay with me.

I also loved another speech Moon gave toward the end of the night about how “life is too short for sad songs.” As someone who listens to a lot of upbeat music, it was nice to hear an artist share this sentiment. It seems like a lot of artists, critics, listeners, etc., value heartfelt ballads more than lively and energetic songs when I believe they are equally as beautiful. I loved when Moon said “there is value in optimism and positive music,” and I could not agree more! Because of that speech, I have a greater appreciation for Niko Moon as an artist and a songwriter. 

One final highlight is when Moon covered the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s “Fishin’ In The Dark.” He brought Sophia Scott out one last time to join him in singing it. Myself and the crowd loved ate up the entire performance. “Fishin’ In The Dark” is a cover you cannot go wrong with. It gets the entire crowd singing at the top of their lungs and strangers dancing with each other. It was such an exciting moment to have in the set.

I adore Niko Moon’s positive energy and his desire to pour all of it onto the stage in his performance. It is in my opinion that everyone should go to AT LEAST one of his shows – though I think you’ll have the urge to go to many more after that. You can also take a look at photos I took from the show in the gallery below!