Indoctrinated: A Newcomer's Baptism into the World of Ashnikko
BY ZACH TIMBERLAKE
I arrived at Mission Ballroom a newcomer to the world of Ashnikko. By the time I walked out the doors at the end of the night, I left a Demidevil. Before even reaching the doors to Mission Ballroom, the force of the night announced itself. The line of Demidevils, Smoochie Girls, and Trinket boys wrapped all the way around a few blocks, a full on pilgrimage for the Ashnikko concert experience. Almost every concertgoer had arrived in elaborate Ashnikko-inspired looks, each trying to be chosen as the Smoochie Girl of the night. Strangers who hadn't met even an hour before were laughing, trading compliments, bonding over a shared love for an artist who had clearly given them all a place to belong. The community Ashnikko has fostered is truly special.
Upon entrance, the energy in the room was palpable, groups already huddling up as close to stage as possible an hour before the show even began. Once the stage lights illuminated and Princess Nokia exploded onto the stage, draped in glowing white hair, Mission Ballroom ignited. Her driving, trap beats and easy delivery of her bars, on tracks like “Drop Dead Gorgeous” kept the floor churning from first beat to last. Between songs, her easy crowd banter kept the atmosphere warm and loose, carrying the energy forward like a torch passed into Ashnikko’s impending set.
Sitting in the photo pit moments before Ashnikko took the stage, I really had no idea what to expect from her set. I listened to her discography pretty extensively leading up to this show, the unique mix of of cheeky Trap music and Hyper Pop was infectious to listen to. Her stage presence was still an open question for me. It did not remain one for long. The moment Ashnikko came crawling through her "purse portal”, a vibrant set piece, the magic declared itself completely.
The towering colorful set pieces, the fully committed narrative of her being teleported from some wilder dimension into ours, and an outfit so spectacularly unhinged, all delivered on every ounce of mystique I had hoped for and then some.
Her playful dialogue before each song presenting some themes from the track were so fun, and the actual performances were revelatory. Tracks like “Working Bitch” or “It Girl” showcased her flawless vocals and demanded your attention. “Smoochie Girl” and “I Want My Boyfriends to Kiss” let her mischievous personality flood the room. Then, “Chichinya” and “Skin Cleared” blew the top off the room with her intense delivery and rave like production literally shaking Mission Ballroom with bass hitting like a reckoning. The music wasn’t the only thing grabbing your attention. Ashnikko and her two accompanying dancers had easily the most shocking an creative choreography I’ve ever seen at a show. Using their three bodies to form these unified movements, with an almost feral and alive feeling to it invoking intense 2000s Britney Spears, just oozing aura.
This was an initiation into her world. If you ever have the chance to witness Ashnikko live, don’t hesitate.
