I love dancing to the sounds of my hometown. And in this case, bold piano melodies, synth, drums and a haunting voice, all contained within one quietly fierce glam pop star, Diamond Rings.

Last Thursday, Diamond Rings (John O’Regan) played a sold-out show at The Mod Club. His DIY first album, Special Affections, got him snatched up by a major label and now he’s touring across North America, performing off his second album, Free Dimensional. His dramatic look and stage antics are a little bit Bowie and while his frame is delicate, he’s got a deep dark voice. It’s not new news that Diamond Rings is truly poised for superstardom. And he’s prettier than you. #sorry

Upon closer inspection, he’s the kind of creative soul I would like to get ready with on a Friday night. I imagine we’d hit the town arm in arm and end up overdosing on tequila and our own emotions. He has described his personal style as “Salt N’ Pepa and Dennis Rodman having a 4-way” and goes from playing basketball, to emerging from smoke as a peacock.

The after party, at Bambi’s on Dundas West, was hosted by local DJs Max Mohenu and Phil Villeneuve; it felt like the best house party ever. They wanted to welcome the rising pop star, and dear friend, back to his hometown for a deepdownndirty celebration! I may have missed the concert but catching Diamond Rings on the decks in this intimate basement bar was pretty fucking awesome. Check the pics. Hot. Sweaty. Mess.

Follow Diamond Rings on Twitter to see where you can catch him next. No doubt, he’ll be everywhere.

~ Becca Lemire

Photos by Becca Lemire (Click to Enlarge)