BENEE and BAYLI bring the “Particles” Tour to House of Blues San Diego
On March 31st, headliner BENEE and opener BAYLI put on an electric, power-punk performance at the House of Blues San Diego. This show marks the tail-end of BENEE’s Particles Tour, with one final stop remaining in Los Angeles.
BENEE first gained widespread attention during the pandemic, when her single “Supalonely” went viral on TikTok and launched her into the global spotlight. Since then, she has evolved beyond alt-pop, and has grown into a more introspective and adventurous artist. Her debut album Hey U X introduced her personality and charm, while her 2022 EP Lychee expanded her sound. Most recently, her sophomore album Ur An Angel I’m Just Particles, showcases a more refined and emotionally charged version of her sound.
First to take the stage was BAYLI (Bayli McKeithan), who brought an undeniable presence to the room. Formerly the lead singer of The Skins, BAYLI fuses electro-pop, punk, and R&B throughout a distinctly queer, Brooklyn-raised lens. Her set was bold, high energy, and impossible to ignore. With effortless diva energy, she commanded the stage and quickly got the crowd bouncing, with standout tracks like “Passenger Princess” and “all of that”.
BENEE took the stage and opened with “Sad Boiii”, a standout track from “Ur An Angel I’m Just Particles”, immediately setting the tone with her signature quirky, inviting energy. Despite the scale, BENEE makes the room feel small in the best way, creating a uniquely intimate experience for fans.
Her setlist balanced old and new seamlessly. Favorites like “Wishful Thinking” and “Supalonely” had the audience buzzing, while her newer material drew just as much enthusiasm, especially towards the end of the set. One of the night’s highlights came during “Off the Rails”, where BENEE fully let loose, dancing wildly, flipping her hair, and thrashing around the stage alongside her band. As the lights shifted to green, it was clear what was coming next: “Green Honda”, a fast, high-energy closer that wrapped the night with momentum.
Watching her command the stage, it’s easy to imagine how well her performance would translate to a festival setting. Between her offbeat outfit choices, bubbly stage presence, and knack for getting a crowd moving, it feels like a performance built for something even larger. BENEE has the kind of energy that scales easily intimate when it needs to be, but powerful enough to captivate massive crowds. At the House of Blues, she proved she can own both.