If Apollo is the Greek god of music and light, Omar Apollo is the closest thing we’ve got on this side of Olympus. From the shine of his diamond earrings and equally as bright smile, to his awe-inspiring falsetto. Celebrating the release of his second studio album, Omar Apollo kicked off his international “God Said No” Tour with three shows in Australia on July 15th, 18th, and 19th.

Last time Apollo performed in Australia was in February 2020, and boy have times changed since then. He made his Australian debut that year with two performances in 500-800 person venues, only to return four years later, filling auditoriums with over 5,000 fans at a time. His viral hit, “Evergreen (You Don’t Deserve Me At All)” just hit certified platinum in the country, and earlier this July, Apollo achieved his first chart presence in Australia, landing #1 in the Top Vinyl Charts and #11 in the ARIA Album Charts. For being in the thick of winter, Australia gave Apollo quite the warm welcome back.

Despite losing his voice and being forced to cut the first show short, Apollo’s night in Melbourne on July 15th kicked things off with a bang, setting the tone for the rest of his Australian leg. At the start of each night, the lights would dim as an orchestral introduction blared from the speakers. The drums would build, the lights begin to flash, until emerging from the darkened stage with his guitar in hand, Apollo strummed the opening chords of “Useless.” Breaking “save the best for last” convention, opening with one of his most popular songs packed the room with a feverish excitement, as fans who have waited years to hear this song live finally had the change to scream its lyrics alongside him.

He served up five God Said No live debuts on that first night, grooving across the stage to “Done With You” and stirring up the crowd with the Daft Punk sensibilities of “Less of You.” After giving his all during heartbreaking ballads like “Dispose of Me” and “Evergreen,” Apollo was forced to cut the show short due to vocal strain. After 18 rousing tracks, it’s safe to say the audience still left satisfied.

Though the setlist didn’t change much from night to night, each stop had its own Apollo flair. He approached each show with iconically stylish outfits, from sequin pants to bow embellished flats. The roaring crowd chanted the flirtatious bi-lingual favorite “Tamagotchi” with just as much excitement every time, shaking the room as every foot stomped along with the intoxicating beat.

Sydney was in for quite the treat when Apollo brought out longtime friend and Aussie native Ruel, who joined the star for a flawless performance of “Want U Around.” And though his vocal cords were working against him once again in Brisbane, Apollo took the time between vocal exercises to chat with fans in the middle of the show. He even took a fan recommendation, teaching his guitarist the chords before spontaneously playing “Mr. Neighbor” for the first time since 2022.

From the look of these first few shows, it's clear that Omar Apollo was built to be a star. His smile lights up a room, and he takes the stage with a radiant, contagious energy that. Within fifteen minutes he can both move a crowd to tears and have them dancing like nobody’s watching. Though he’s seen enormous success in recent years, with whatever special things he has planned for the rest of the “God Said No” World Tour, it’s only up from here. After a few shows in Asia at the end of July, Apollo will kick off the tour's U.S. leg in his home state, Indiana, on August 20.

"God Said No" World Tour

07/25 - Tokyo, Japan @ Kanda Square

07/26 - Naeba Ski Resort, Yuzawa-cho, Niigata Pref. @ Fuji Rock Festival

08/20 - Indianapolis, IN @ Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park

08/21 - Sterling Heights, MI @ Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill

08/23 - Chicago, IL @ Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island

08/25 - Philadelphia, PA @ Highmark Skyline Stage at the Mann

09/03 - Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion

09/04 - Toronto, Ontario @ Budweiser Stage

09/06 - Boston, MA @ Leader Bank Pavilion

09/10 - Cincinnati, OH @ ICON Festival Stage at Smale Riverfront Park

09/11 - Raleigh, NC @ Red Hat Amphitheater

09/13 - Charlotte, NC @ Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre

09/14 - Atlanta, GA @ Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park

09/16 - Miami, FL @ FPL Solar Amphitheater at Bayfront Park

09/17 - Orlando, FL @ The Orlando Amphitheater

09/19 - Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall

09/21 - Austin, TX @ Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park

09/22 - Irving, TX @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory

09/24 - Bentonville, AR @ The Momentary

09/26 - Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheater

09/29 - Vancouver, British Columbia @ Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre

10/01 - Seattle, WA @ WAMU Theater

10/02 - Troutdale, OR @ Edgefield Concerts on the Lawn

10/04 - Berkeley, CA @ The Greek Theatre at UC Berkeley

10/05 - Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl

10/08 - Santa Barbara, CA @ Santa Barbara Bowl

10/10 - Mesa, AZ @ Mesa Amphitheatre

10/11 - San Diego, CA @ The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park