On Saturday, Brighton Music Hall opened its doors to rising musical royalty, Spencer Sutherland, for the second time, backed by openers Cloe Wilder and Stacey Ryan.
Sutherland, an indie pop artist from Ohio, first entered the spotlight with his single “Selfish” in 2017. From there, he made notable appearances on NBC’s “Today” show and later the U.K. “X-Factor” where he made it through to the first live show. Sutherland continued to release several singles over the years, including “Talk” and “Fine” in 2018. His debut EP “NONE of this has been about you” dropped the next year followed by his second EP “Indigo.”
Sutherland later struck gold with his first full length album “In His Mania.” With tracks such as “Everybody” and “B!tch,” Sutherland began to settle into an unique persona — theatrical vintage. While previous projects revealed Sutherland’s musical talent and songwriting skills, “In His Mania” showcased a new dramatic presence that can be felt in each track.
Sutherland was then able to fine-tune this theatrical flair in his newest full length album “The Drama.” Sutherland’s talent comes from over a decade of work, starting with high school theater shows and choirs to writing two songs a day to leaning into the modern day social media landscape. This hard work then culminated into The Drama Tour, which kicked off its North American leg on Feb. 23 in Phoenix, Ariz..
Perhaps the best way to describe Sutherland’s tour is anything but boring. Opening with the rock song “Welcome to the Show!,” Sutherland immediately sets the tone for the next two hours. Flashing lights, strong vocals, an eager crowd, stellar band and — of course — just a bit of theater are set to come. Sutherland then immediately jumps into “Alive” which quickly gets the audience to scream out the timeless lyrics “I swear I would die, I would die to feel that alive!”
The crowd was responsive to Sutherland’s easy charm. With every wave and flourish, Sutherland had the Boston audience in the palm of his hand. At several points during the show, the crowd went wild for several minutes, cheering on the artist. With every pause, joke and audience moment, the show felt supercharged. “Let Me Loose,” the third track off of “The Drama” moved the crowd into a frenzy as Sutherland danced his way across the stage, rocking alongside his band.
After an energetic performance of “B!tch,” Sutherland brought the energy a step down as he grabbed his guitar for “Melanie,” a short but heartbreaking ballad. “Melanie, Melanie you’re in my head/ But I took some pills that should put me to bed,” Sutherland crooned as the audience swayed back and forth with their phones raised high. “Modern Heartbreak” followed on the back stage, the audience singing along to the simple post chorus with Sutherland.
After the ballad, Sutherland returned to the mainstage for “Motherfucker” and a cover of Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” — although the artist did try to play it off as a cover of “We Are Young” for a crowd joke. As the night continued on, Sutherland continued to showcase his vocals in “Put Your Money on Me,” his movement chops in “Hater” and his stage presence in “Baby.” Day-one fans were then treated to the throwback single “Sweater,” as Sutherland sang, “That’s my sweater, my sweater/ Why the fuck you got it on?”
It was around this point when the artist had seemingly misplaced his shirt before closing out the show with the title track “Drama,” followed of course by an encore of “Place Like This”.
Throughout the entire night, Sutherland’s dramatic flair never faltered. Whether performing a soft ballad or a rock anthem, his glamour never seemed to dim. One of the most refreshing things about Sutherland is how he carries himself. Although obviously elevated for a stage persona, Sutherland easily leans into the dramatic glam nature that should come with a musical performance.
In quieter moments of audience conversation, Sutherland reflected on his journey and love for his fans, thanking them multiple times for their continued support. At one point during the show, the artist kneeled as he stared out at the crowd as he cherished the moment and eager fans. He even dropped a few words of wisdom to the audience during the show.
“If you’re genuine, authentic and yourself … things will fall into place.”
Sutherland, who is unapologetically his dramatic, glamorous self, did more than entertain on Saturday night. He amazed the crowd, bringing a much needed theatrical flair to the Boston scene. In an ocean of ordinary, Spencer Sutherland is a crashing wave of extraordinary art and performance. As his journey continues on, one can only anticipate what he will do next.
One thing is for sure, Sutherland’s recognition is far overdue.
