[Note from Kirsten: Yes, this is a recap of my show from last month…better late than never, right? Enjoy!]
If you follow me on Twitter (and if you’re not, get on that), then you know that as soon as it was rumored that Gavin DeGraw and David Cook would be hitting the road together, I was legit excited.
October 20 finally rolled around, and my friend Sarah and I trekked out to Santa Rosa all in the name of seeing what was sure to be an amazing show. And was it ever!
The night kicked off with Carolina Liar, whom I was feeling pretty enamored with at the end of their set. Admittedly, I only knew the songs off their first album, but I’ve already rectified that issue with some Spotify listening sessions. The band did a great job of getting the crowd going and ready for music from the night’s headliners. I truly look forward to seeing them play again; they brought a lot of excitement to the stage.
Next up was the performer that I was probably most looking forward to seeing that evening, being Mr. Gavin DeGraw. I’ve seen Gavin a couple times before, but I was so looking forward to hearing the new material from Sweeter. I have a lot of love for his latest album. When an artist can take their sound and build on it, to me, that’ s exciting. Plus, I couldn’t wait to see how the new material would be showcased onstage. And, oh man, did he and his band ever deliver!
From the moment Gavin kicked off his set with “Candy,” a song off his new record, I was up and on my feet singing-a-long with the rest of the people in my section that were there to have a good time that night.
Gavin’s entire set was amazing! Material off of Sweeter was obviously the focus of the set list, but he also had songs from Chariot (a record that I fell in love with during college) and his self-titled record in there. I was thrilled to hear him play “I Have You To Thank” off his self-titled record. That’s always been one of my favorites of his.
One of the many reasons that I love seeing Gavin live is that he’s one of the most charismatic performers out there today. He has phenominal stage presence, he’ charming, and he truly just leaves it all on the stage. He’s not one of those guys that just goes out there and sings and calls it a night. Through his music, Gavin really opens himself up to the audience and creates a fantastic atmosphere that turns your ordinary concert into a true experience.
I loved his entire set, but the one moment that really took my breath away was when it was just Gavin at the piano with the spotlight on him during “Spell It Out.” This song is the last track on Sweeter, and it’s one of my very favorites.
Such a great moment!
Gavin closed out his set with his huge hit, “I Don’t Wanna Be,” followed by an encore of “Radiation” and his current single, “Not Over You.” Check out his encore below!
Ridiculously awesome! What a way to close out his set!
Closing out the show that night was David Cook! I was very excited to hear material off of This Loud Morning live for the first time.
From the moment “Circadian” kicked off, I had chills and realized right then that this was going to be one of those nights that I wouldn’t be forgetting anytime soon.
There were moments during his set, particularly during “We Believe” and “Paper Heart” where I found myself just kind of overwhelmed by the music and the atmosphere. I think after waiting for the release of This Loud Morning paired with finally hearing these songs live, it was just one of those moments where it’s made very clear why you’re a fan of the artist. At the end of the day, I support the artists I support, because of the music.
Check out David’s performance of “We Believe” below!
I definitely found myself appreciating This Loud Morning on a whole other level after hearing a handful of the songs from the record live. That said, it was also great to hear music from David’s self-titled album. Those songs are like friends you haven’t heard from in awhile, but when they call you’re more than excited to talk to them. For instance, getting to hear his “Heroes”/”Champagne Supernova” mash-up for the first time live was amazing! Also, I welcomed hearing “Bar-ba-sol” again with open arms.
David seemed to feed off the audience throughout the entire show. There’s nothing that I appreciate more than an artist that is excited about sharing his work with their audience. You could tell he was having a blast onstage and wasn’t just going through the motions. It was truly a fun night for not only the audience, but for the band as well.
Final moments of David’s set included a performance of his latest single, “Fade Into Me,” which was tremendous. However, it was “Rapid Eye Movement” that really left me just in awe of how far David has come music-wise in the last few years.
For me, this show worked. Having three different acts on one bill really kind of set the bar on how live shows should be done. Well done, gentlemen!
To Gavin, David, and Carolina Liar: Thank you so much for an amazing night of live music! Hope to see you all soon!
Wait...WHAT? 
Great recap, Kirsten! Cook and DeGraw along with Carolina Liar do make for a great evening of music! You know me, I’m a Cook fan all the way, but I’ve enjoyed Gavin and Carolina Liar as well. I also agree with you about Rapid Eye Movement. What a truly amazing song! You know with DC it’s all about “progression”! :)
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed the recap!