Sara Fish
A queue of eager fans wrapped around the venue over an hour before doors opened- some getting there as early as 5:00 AM. Their sheer dedication and enthusiasm set the tone for the night before the show even started.
As the room filled past capacity, American Idol alum, Clark Beckham, took the stage. He was accompanied only by his guitar but immediately wowed the audience with his delicate yet intricate vocal riffs.
Singer-songwriter, Travis Mendes, was up next. Mendes has contributed to multiple Jon Bellion songs with writing and vocal credits. Because of this, most fans were already familiar with his work and sang along to songs like “Dead Presidents” and “10 Years” as he worked every corner of the stage.
Another frequent collaborator, Blaque Keyz, was the final opening act. He performed a selection of songs from his 2016 album, HeistBoX, as well as his verse from Bellion’s “Pre-Occupied.” His intense, articulate rhymes brought the vibe of the room to the next level and sufficiently warmed up the crowd.
Bellion and his touring collective, Beautiful Mind, opened with an explosive rendition of “He is the Same,” the initial track from his latest LP, The Human Condition. As with most of his songs, he transitioned between singing and rapping in his thick New York accent. 2015 release, “Woodstock,” followed with playful melodies paying tribute to the legendary music festival. Certified double-platinum single, “All Time Low,” rounded out the first three of his set and had the entire audience chanting along to the catchy hook.
“Guillotine,” featuring Travis Mendes’ angelic vocals, was a highlight of the night. While Bellion is an incredible producer and songwriter, his ability to bring his songs to life on stage is unparalleled. Whether it’s high-energy like “Guillotine,” or the stripped down piano version of “Human,” which he dedicated to his friend Drew, Jon puts 100{a43c2147d37bcf8b898f59ebaaf066dc60bd9fbfc7430ae40ed3f9adbaab469e} in to every performance.
Bellion concluded his set with an epic trio of “New York Soul, Pt II,” “Hand of God (Outro),” and his standard encore, “Jim Morrison.” While it’s typically cliche and a bit of an eye-roll to hear an artist ask for “hands up” and beg for audience participation, he effortlessly had every single person in the oversold venue rocking out to “Jim Morrison.”
Jon and his Beautiful Mind team are some of the most genuinely talented artists in the industry right now, especially with their live shows. The Human Condition III tour continues through November. Bellion mentioned that he plans on writing new music after this tour, but in the mean time check out his YouTube channel for some fascinating behind-the-scenes videos of his songwriting process.
Setlist:
He is the Same
Woodstock
All Time Low
Run Wild
Guillotine
80’s Films
Human
Overwhelming
Maybe IDK
Luxury
iRobot
New York Soul, Pt II
Hand of God (Outro)
Jim Morrison
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