X Ambassadors Shine a Nostalgic Light on House of Blues San Diego on the VHS(X) Tour: Live Review

Mikaila Storrs
13 hours ago
3 min read

Last week, House of Blues San Diego transformed into a time capsule, taking fans on a vivid journey back to the 2010s Tumblr-core era with X Ambassadors’ VHS (X) anniversary tour. For one night, the venue was more than a concert hall; it was a collective memory, alive with the songs that once defined road trips, late-night playlists, and the messy, formative years of growing up. Marking both the ten-year anniversary of VHS and the band’s decision to re-record the album in full to honor the milestone, the night carried an extra layer of meaning.

The night opened with “Jungle,” a thunderous explosion of sound and color that immediately erased the distance between stage and crowd. Sam Harris commanded every inch of the room, his presence magnetic, his movements sharp and untamed. Orange and red lights flashed across the walls, casting the entire venue in a feverish glow as the bass rattled the floor. It was a reminder that this wasn’t going to be a nostalgic sing-along—it was going to be a reclamation of a moment in time, dragged into the present with ferocity.

From there, the set unfolded like chapters in a diary. “Loveless” drew the crowd into unity, every voice singing with raw intensity, each lyric landing heavy with meaning. When “Low Life” began, the room shifted again, fans shouting the words with an edge of catharsis, “I’m nothing but a low life / Thinking ‘bout my own life,” a mirror held up to who they once were and the resilience that came after.

The surprises kept coming. “Feather,” long absent from live performances, made its long-awaited debut for this run of shows, gliding seamlessly into “Superpower.” Sam’s candid introduction to “Naked” added a moment of levity to the night, weaving humor and honesty into a song born from self-doubt. It highlighted the vulnerability of that period in their career while underscoring how much both the band and their fans have transformed since those words were first written.

“Unsteady” shook the House of Blues to its core. As the chorus rang out, “Hold, hold on, hold onto me / ‘Cause I’m a little unsteady," the crowd swelled in one collective voice, the walls reverberating with emotion. When VHS was first released, “Unsteady” and “Renegades” quickly became cultural touchstones. Hearing them live a decade later, back-to-back, was an eruption: hands stretched high, voices colliding, an energy so visceral it blurred nostalgia with immediacy.

As the night moved into its final stretch, “Home” and “HEY CHILD” carried the audience through reflective crescendos, building toward the last, devastating blow: “Unconsolable.” Leaving fans standing in silence for a moment after the last note faded, as if reluctant to let go.

X Ambassadors didn’t just revisit VHS; they resurrected it. Every track carried weight not just as a performance, but as a living archive of who their listeners were ten years ago and who they’ve become since. By the end of the night, it was clear this wasn’t a simple anniversary show. It was a shared reunion, a celebration of survival, growth, and the strange comfort of songs that stay with you long after youth has passed. The tour is just getting started and is headed to more cities across North America through September.

Upcoming VHS(X) Shows:

9/10 - Seattle, WA - Showbox SODO

9/12 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot

9/13 - Denver, CO - The Paramount

9/15 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre

9/17 - Toronto, ON - Danforth

9/19 - Ithaca, NY - State Theater

9/20 - Ithaca, NY - State Theater

9/22 - Boston, MA - House of Blues

9/23 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Steel

9/24 - Washington, DC - Lincoln Theatre

9/26 - Raleigh, NC - The Ritz