by DJ Unknown
As I entered Rickshaw Stop in San Francisco, I was met with dimmed, strobe colored lights and a mirror ball that projected an array of geometric shapes on the walls and ceilings. It was my first time going to a concert by myself. I met an SF student who was also by herself, so we decided to talk amongst ourselves until the lights went out, signaling the start.
Despite starting an hour late, the first opening act, John Vincent lll appeared. A solo artist, he lured the crowd closer to the stage with his quiet, calming vocals along with his guitar solos. As he exited, new band members followed by a high energy young lady, sporting a holographic jacket appeared.
The next opener, Upsahl, instantly got the crowd’s energy going. All lights were out, save for the now not so dimmed strobe lights. The guitarists strummed their electric guitars and gripped our attention. The girl thanked the crowd for having her, as it was their first time performing in San Francisco. Her raspy voice belted out songs from her upcoming EP, including her single, Drugs. The amplified instruments combined with her genuine enthusiasm and passion resulted in a huge success, in my opinion, for a young girl just starting out in the music industry.
As she closed out her performance, the lights once again went to blackout. The main act was preparing to enter.
Tommy Newport walked out on stage with a guitar, and thanked the crowd for their encouraging and engaging behavior. At this point, I wriggled my way to the very front of the pit, where I experienced his performance off his debut album, Just To Be Ironic. His power vocals along with his impressive set (multiple other musicians plus a Dj handling the beats), led to the audience wanting more and more even after his setlist technically ended.
Tommy Newport and his opening acts intertwined with each other’s music style, and created a harmonious atmosphere where everyone was engaged with the music, and each other.
