Neon Trees Live at Regency Ballroom – San Francisco Concert Recap

Neon Trees (with opener Joni Lemons and Dear Boy) Regency Ballroom, San Francisco, California September 22, 2025

Joni Lemons, Regency Ballroom, San Francisco, California
September 22, 2025

This past Monday, I had the chance to photograph Neon Trees at the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco, and they delivered a night full of surprise, nostalgia, and electric energy.

The night opened with a special first-ever live performance by Joni Lemons. Stepping onto the stage with a mix of nerves and raw excitement, she brought an earnest, genre-blending set that caught the crowd’s attention. There was a sense we were witnessing the very beginning of something.

Following her was Dear Boy, whose moody alt-rock brought a cool contrast to the evening. Their polished set and driving rhythms warmed up the crowd and built the perfect lead-in for the headliner.

Dear Boy, Regency Ballroom, San Francisco, California
September 22, 2025

Neon Trees exploded onto the stage with “Losing My Head,” setting the tone with sharp lighting and frontman Tyler Glenn’s unmistakable charisma. Dressed in a bold, high-shine outfit and backed by a band as locked in as ever, Glenn danced the line between theatrical and deeply personal all night long. By the time they launched into their viral hit “Animal,” the fifth song in, the venue was already at a fever pitch.

It was an unexpected move, placing their biggest single so early in the set. But it worked. The crowd screamed every word back, arms up, phones out, feeding off Glenn’s infectious energy. As a photographer, those few minutes were magic: vibrant backlighting, real emotion, and the kind of joy you can’t fake.

The audience was mostly older Gen Z and millennials—fans who likely discovered the band during their early 2010s peak. You could feel the connection between the crowd and the music, like a shared memory unfolding in real time. This wasn’t just a show, it was a reunion with a soundtrack that shaped people’s high school and college years.

From there, the band carried the crowd through a dynamic setlist that felt more like a curated emotional arc than just a series of songs. Tracks like “In the Next Room” and “Moving in the Dark” added depth, while covers like The Human League’s “Don’t You Want Me” gave everyone a moment to dance and reminisce. By the time they reached the finale with “Everybody Talks,” the crowd felt like one cohesive pulse.

What struck me most was how present the band felt. Even after over a decade of performing, Neon Trees brought the urgency and polish of a band still hungry to connect. Tyler Glenn didn’t just perform; he told stories with his movement, his voice, and his gaze into the crowd. He pulled us in.

Shooting this show reminded me why I love what I do: catching those in-between moments of joy, motion, and connection that live music creates.