I found myself out and about last night on April Fool’s Day back at House of Blues in Boston, Massachusetts. My 3rd trip to the venue in a week. This time we were checking out Cameron Whitcomb on his “Fragile Egos Tour." There were no fools in the building, but you were foolish if you were not at the show. This 2,200 or so cap room has a great vibe to it. The downstairs is general admission on the floor. Upstairs has some stadium seating available, but I have never sat up there. The floor is where the show lives on. Depending on how many tickets are sold, you can get some elbow room, or you can be stuffed like a sardine. The latter is no fun. The people who run this venue are super awesome and always very helpful. It’s a well-organized venue, and I do love coming here to see shows. This show will go down as one of the most unforgettable experiences I have ever had. This show wasn’t a concert at all. Cameron’s performance for me was a therapy session. This man opened up baggage that I wasn’t ready to acknowledge yet… How was this possible?
Stella Lefty kicked things off for the night. Admittedly, I had never heard of her, so I decided to check out her Instagram and give her a follow. I have been listening to her new song “Boston” quite a bit this week. Stella Lefty has been on some pretty notable tours lately, previously supporting Tucker Wetmore on his latest tour. She came out, and immediately you could feel the power in her strong vocals. Her voice was beautiful, and every note flowed flawlessly as if she weren't even trying. I am so glad Cameron added her as support, or many other people, myself included, might not have discovered her. I know she now has made a fan out of me. Stella played her new song "Boston," which had been released only four days earlier, and it won the crowd over really well because, well, we are in Boston.
As much as I loved Stella Lefty’s set, I was ready for Cameron Whitcomb to take the stage. We were all ready. Cameron hasn’t been on my musical radar that long. I would say a few months ago I somehow came across the song “The Hard Way." I do not even remember where or how I heard it. My best guess is Apple Music had it on one of their music charts, and I accidentally clicked on it. I fell in love with that voice. It wasn’t even just that song. It was the next song and then the song after that. The whole album felt as if it spoke to me. So I dove into getting to know the man behind such emotionally charged lyrics.
Cameron Whitcomb, who I assumed was going to have started as a child prodigy, was anything but that. He is a Canadian-born star in the making who started singing later in life than most artists begin. He first got attention when he went on American Idol. People loved him because he was raw and emotional. He is somehow labeled country, but I find it to be more pop-sounding with folk and rock influences seasoned with a gritty singer/songwriter vibe. Whatever you label him as is up to you. It really doesn't matter; it's just great music with a message.
Right out of the gate I was caught off guard with a flip that came out of nowhere. For a second I thought they swapped Cameron out for Benson Boone. The way he performed on stage was like no other that I have ever witnessed. He sort of reminds me a bit of Mick Jagger on stage. He’s got this unfiltered, slightly chaotic energy that makes everything feel real instead of rehearsed. You can feel his honesty in his movements and lyrics even if it feels a bit messy and imperfect. That’s what made the whole experience perfect. It’s real. That’s what is rare these days. People want their artists to be genuine and not cookie-cutter record label-made cutouts like the last artist they saturated the market with. Were there rough spots in the set? Yes. Did it matter? No. It felt right if that makes sense. We are all imperfect, and this night we were all in this together. Hell, I might even call this church. It wasn’t a concert in the typical fashion. This was deeper. This was unexpected. I am still over here trying to put the puzzle together of everything that went down. Emotions were just very high. Fans became friends, and Cameron was the unifier and healer. That best sums up the night in my eyes.
People cry at concerts. I see this all the time. Tears last night were not tears because of a soulful voice. It wasn’t because it was a fan's favorite star. It was because of how the words penetrated you and you were defenseless. No one was safe. I thought I was immune. I was wrong. The way he sings the songs with those piercing lyrics and his stage energy just cuts through you like a knife. I am not even sure if that was his intention. People I am sure came for a good time and left feeling changed. If you honestly left feeling "Oh, that was just another great concert," then you missed the boat. The message clearly flew over your head. Last night the House of Blues was a healing center. Cameron doesn’t hide the fact he went through addiction. Many fans of his have been through the same traumas he has experienced. People clearly were feeling like somebody understood them in a world that may have forgotten them. Now that I am thinking about it…this was a terrible concert. Come into the building feeling happy and ready to party… leave the venue drained of all energy from the tears and what felt like a confessional. I mean that in the highest praise possible. Cameron has found a way to touch people that have probably been ignored by many people, including the ones they thought loved them. I loved his choice of cover songs. Cameron played “All Your’n” by Tyler Childers and “Creep” by Radiohead. Both, I thought, were fantastic! I really enjoyed how much Cameron praised the crowd and how thankful he was for them being so supportive. This show was his biggest headlining sold-out show.
The crowd was so loud. If it wasn’t the crying, then it was the belting of the lyrics at the top of their lungs. Every song. I will say I usually do not like this. I understand that, and I know that I now approach concerts differently. Many times I am not in attendance as a fan but as a reviewer trying to be objective. I am really focusing on the artist and their ability, so I get frustrated when it’s tough to hear. This didn’t happen. I understood the assignment and read the room immediately.
I thought to myself, "Sing your little hearts out!" I knew I was witnessing a life-changing performance. Just reflecting on this now, it seems so crazy that a concert can have this effect. I have seen passion and vulnerability in Taylor Swift show footage. This was reminiscing of that in my eyes. The highlight of my night came early on when Cameron had a baby brought down to the front of the barricade, and he held him up high. It was one of, if not the cutest, moments I have ever seen at a concert.
The stage setup was your basic setup for a club-sized venue, and that made it all more intimate. With a set like his, you really wanted nothing else. Give us the backdrop, and we are good to go. No need for theatrics to amplify his performance. He didn’t need it. He was at the performance. We didn’t need any distractions; after all, this was a therapy session.
Listen, if you like to go to a concert for a feel-good time, go see NSYNC when they reunite. This concert was life-changing for many people. This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I am honored that I was able to witness this whole event. That’s what it was: an event, not a concert. I have a whole new perspective on life after taking this show in. I have Cameron to thank for that. If you want a real, raw, emotional show, this is for you. You can belt out the lyrics with thousands of other fans, who have now transformed into friends, and you can be healed as well. I cannot recommend an artist more than Cameron Whitcomb. I just can’t. Many shows you have to go see for sure, and I'm not taking away from them, but this show is a can’t-miss. Not even because you know the songs. You do not really know them till you see this vulnerable man belt his little heart out and leave everything on that stage. Skip church on a Sunday and go to see Cameron Whitcomb. Trust me. I left that venue feeling like it’s okay to not be okay. Cameron has left an impression on me that far surpasses music. I was able to see Cameron on the street prior to the show, and he is just simply a down-to-earth guy. He is genuine. Fans made the right one famous with him. He even let me shoot some portraits of him on the street. This man is more than music. He is an inspiration. BUY. THE. TICKET.
