The Dark-Romance Playlist Comes Alive: Austin Giorgio Brings the Chronicles of the Darkest Hour to Europe

On a Thursday night that already felt like the gateway to the weekend, ELFER music club in Frankfurt was filled with people hungry for a party. Austin Giorgio and opener April Jai didn’t just give them a show; they gave them an evening that felt like stepping straight into a dark-romance playlist brought to life. With the Chronicles of the Darkest Hour tour finally arriving in Europe, both artists ensured Frankfurt wouldn’t forget this night anytime soon.

April Jai: A Chaotic Start That Turned Into Magic

Technical issues interrupted the beginning of April Jai's set, leading to one of the funniest opening moments of the night.

“What the fuck happened?” she laughed. “In my head, it sounded great, guys.” “It sounded great!” the crowd shouted back. “Should we just pretend this never happened and come back?” she joked, before returning a few minutes later with guitarist Ally McLachlan as if nothing had happened. And from that moment on, she had the room in her hands.

She stepped onto the stage to loud applause, opened with "FANTASY", and followed with "GOOD GIRL", glancing into the crowd:

“Omg, I did not see you before.” April chuckles. “It’s so lovely to be back in Frankfurt,” she added, and the room warmed instantly to her presence. The fans who had known her from the previous year cheered extra loudly.

“Do we have any bisexuals in the room?” April leaned into the mic.

A roar erupted in clear agreement and excitement for the following song.

“Perfect. This song is for you. I need you to sing this one part with me. It goes like this: Why do I, why do I, why do I have to choose?” and the room didn’t just sing it during the chorus; they also danced.

Her voice, her humor, and her ability to charm lulled the crowd into her spell.

“Who likes to see men on their knees?” she smirked.

The answer? Deafening applause and screams. “Yeah, me too. That’s why I wrote this song.”

"GROVEL" became a highlight.

She shifted into a dark, stunning cover of "Dark Horse" by Katy Perry and Juicy J, proving she knew how to use her voice to build a world once again.

Between songs, she thanked Austin and his team, called Frankfurt “the loudest,” and played her new single, "FULL COURSE DINNER", just released two weeks ago, bathed in purple light that perfectly matched the track’s energy.

Before ending her set, she announced, “I made 10 friendship bracelets for the first people who meet me at the merch table.”

As the first notes of "Morally Grey" rang out, the audience screamed in recognition. “Oh, you know this song,” she exclaimed happily and held out her mic for the chorus, “Grey’s my favorite color!” Frankfurt delivered.

Austin Giorgio: The Moment the Dark Romance Fully Came Alive

Shortly before 9 pm, Austin’s band entered the stage first: Hayden Thomas on piano, Colton Maginnis on bass, and Clemens Graßmann on drums, building anticipation before Austin Giorgio himself appeared. "Hands On" opened the show; the energy hit immediately.

"Overdrive" had the crowd dancing and singing, and with "Ghost of You", the connection deepened—more pointing, more interaction, and more heat between Austin and the audience.

“FRANKFURT!” he shouted, before jumping into "Lips of a Witch", a clear fan favorite. The venue buzzed.

“How are you doing tonight?” he asked the crowd, taking in the moment and the fans’ cheering. “God, I love this city.” Austin grinned and then pointed at his drummer, Clemens. “We’re in his home country. Say something to them in German,” he requested.

“Frankfurt, ihr seid einfach nur geil,” Clemens declared. The room erupted.

“Whatever he said,” Austin laughed. The chemistry on stage was infectious.

The Magical Duet: April Jai Returned on Stage

Then he talked about the feature song "Against Me" with Scout Speer. Unfortunately, she wasn’t with him on tour, but this didn’t mean he had to sing the duet alone. Shortly, he let the crowd know that April Jai, his opener, would join him and the band on stage for this very special performance.

“Do you know about relationships you should not have?” he asked April, and she nodded. Instead of talking about it, they exclaimed, “Let’s sing about it.” It was an incredible duet, their voices blended beautifully together, creating a unique sound.

Then, the band alone, Austin gave his bandmates a deserved shoutout: Hayden on the piano, Colton on the bass, and Clemens on the drums. Each of them was individually so talented that it made the whole thing even more beautiful, a shoutout to every band member, who blended yet shone separately. The loudest applause of the night erupted. The crowd, we included, loved this duet.

The Show Unfolded: Jackets Off, Vocals Soaring, Fans Screaming

“I love this next song… because the clothes drip off,” he teased before "Drip Off." And yes, he took his jacket off mid-song, earning screams and applause from Frankfurt.

"She’s an Actor", followed by an intimate favorite, a slower song than the earlier ones, which intensifies the song's meaning.

Between songs, he asked: “Did anyone get any necklaces?” referring to his handcrafted merch, genuinely excited and curious. A few cheers erupted from those who already had the necklace or those attempting to buy one after the show.

The small venue felt intimate, warm, and familiar, and it seemed as if Austin Giorgio agreed: “I feel like you’re just in my living room right now.” Intensifying the close feelings of the singer, band, and the fans. The crowd engagement was evident from the very first second and continued throughout the entire night. It felt like a special bond between everyone, an interactive experience rather than just listening to music. A night that would stick with you for a long time.

Then came "Chokehold", another fan favorite. “By the way, I love hearing you guys sing. It’s so beautiful,” Austin declared after a few songs with a bright smile, clearly touched that the crowd sang along so loudly with him.

“Do we want to play the next song?” he asked his band, awaiting a nod. “Look how casual this whole thing is,” he laughed to the crowd, and slipped into "Cost Me Time", handcuffs dangling from his hand. At one point, he clasped one side of a fan’s wrist. The place exploded.

When referencing his song "Tennessee Whiskey", he joked, “I want Frankfurt whiskey on me. Put it on me!”

The crowd screamed.

Dark-Pop Moments Meets A Jazz Number

"No Mercy" followed, fans pointing, shouting every word of the dark-pop song.

Then "Come and Get It", a song whose vibes took you to a period drama genre, especially the early tunes that transported you to another world, something out of the Bridgerton series. Vocals loud, he stood on the boxes of the stage’s setup, looking out over the crowd. Then, he took the phone of a fan who held it out to him, switched it to selfie mode, and recorded himself and the crowd while continuing to sing, to the fan’s delight.

The set slowed for a breathtaking moment as he introduced a part of an old jazz number from the 1930s, "Where or When", originally performed by Ray Heatherton and Mitzi Green in 1937 as part of the musical Babes in Arms, accompanied only by piano.

His velvet-like voice filled the room, and the contrast to the dark-pop aesthetic made the moment magical. The crowd softly swayed to his voice, taking in the magic of the performance; otherwise, the venue was silent. It was as if everyone held their breath, savoring the special moment. There was certainly magic in the room that night.

The Grand Finale: Connection, Gratitude, and One Last Spell

After a few more songs, Austin took a breath. “I hope you hang back after because I want to meet every single person.”

And he did, staying until the very last fan had a chance to talk to him, proving just how down-to-earth and genuine Austin Giorgio was, wanting to know who came to his shows, supported him over the years, and who was behind the streams on his music platforms.

He admitted repeatedly throughout the night: “I fucking love Frankfurt.”

“Do you guys mind me talking?” Heads shook, wanting to hear him talk. “Okay, I’m talking. Who was here last year?” A few people in the front and in the back held their hands up and cheered. A smile slipped on his lips at the familiar faces.

Then he shared that when he truly immersed himself in music, his focus was genuinely only on music, which resulted in him losing contact with people in his life.

I was watching Hocus Pocus in my pyjamas and wrote a different version of the song 'I Put a Spell on You.' Then I read the books; I read them for myself. I was like, I need to get in this mindset, so yeah [...] I really wanna stop and say to all the readers here: thank you for giving me a hobby outside of music. It does make plane rides pretty interesting with the hardcover.

Austin chuckled, and the crowd followed suit.

Then he sang "You Put a Spell on Me", which he wrote during his favorite season, Halloween. It was clear from the first note that this song was a fan favorite. Everyone sang with him as if he had just cast a spell on them.

During the lyric “I put a spell on you,” he pointed at a fan, and she formed a heart with her hands for him in return.

After the song, he leaned one more time into the mic, taking it all in, and screamed: “This is the last song! I wanna hear you sing your heart out!”

For the final song, "Dangerous Hands", the venue erupted one last time. The band gave a great set-off,  even though Austin Giorgio left the stage; his crew members, Clemens on the drums, Colton on the bass, and Hayden on the piano, kept giving the crowd an instrumental crescendo, showcasing their raw talent. The applause was immense, euphoric screams breaking through.

We see a bright future for both April Jai, Austin Giorgio, and his incredible band, and can’t wait to see what comes next for them.

Intrigued? Ready to get pulled under Austin Giorgio's spell? Grab the last tickets for one of the remaining shows of the Chronicles of the Darkest Hour tour and experience it for yourself.

SEE ALL PHOTOS OF THE NIGHT HERE: