Electric. Passion. Poise. I’ve seen fans eager and excited to see a musician, but I’ve never been able to see so many fans bound together in a way like this and send a collective and unified message of love. Honestly, though, Spencer Sutherland sends that love right back to them. It radiates through every move he makes, every note he hits, and every song he sings. When I had the chance to talk to Spencer backstage after the show, he talked about his fans in a way of absolute admiration and wonder.
A lot of musicians will thank their fans in public, but that will be it. For Spencer though, the fans really are everything. Victoria, a fan attending the show, told me: “If you’ve ever met him you know that he’s so sweet and he means it and you know he means it.”
Spencer Sutherland performs at the Mercury Lounge in NYC on February 17th, 2019. (via Ali Fitzgerald, @alfitzpics)
Spencer’s top meet and greet package even comes with an intimate ‘coffee’ chat, where he gets the chance to talk closely with his supporters while relaxing and caffeinating. When I talked to him in New York City right before the coffee meet and greet, he seemed so eager to get to know them that I left there genuinely refreshed. Spencer’s dedication to his fans helped to sift through my jaded layers and allow me to see that some artists care about their fans so much that it hurts.
When it comes to his shows, Spencer is stoked to have the fans there. “It didn’t matter if 30 or 40 people came it would have been fun and then to have that many people come out… it was a dream come true.” Spencer sold out the Mercury Lounge, a capacity of 250 people. Tickets were nowhere to be seen even on resale sites.
It wasn’t the only show on his headlining tour to be received like this. Being from Columbus, Spencer had an insane turnout in Cincinnati. “That was one of the most insane nights of my life. Unreal. It was really crazy.” He sold out the 350-capacity venue, Madison Live!. “It’s super cool… my biggest goal was to have my own headline show.”
While the Mercury Lounge in New York City was smaller, it was packed wall to wall. I was able to feel the warmth of the fans and the love for the music. “They’re smaller shows, but the energy is very different. They’re there to see me. They know all the words. Sometimes on the In Real Life tour it would be maybe the first row, but here everyone’s in 100%.” Spencer explained.
Spencer engages with the audience on stage. (via Ali Fitzgerald, @alfitzpics)
Going to a show like this was just what I needed. The vibrancy in the fans and the energy from Spencer himself was enough to warm any soul. Spencer sings with such control that it leaves everyone in awe. There wasn’t a person in that audience who hadn’t at some point just stared in disbelief at his ability to perform, but also simply gaze in wonder at his poise in singing. At one point, I just closed my eyes and listened to how beautiful it all really was. He communicates a jazzy sexiness that celebrates this balance between gentle and powerful.
Powerful because his presence on stage captures everyone’s attention. Yes, his voice is so controlled, but there’s something to be said about being able to have control over one’s audience. I’ve only ever seen a select few of top celebrities who have the same control over their audience that Spencer was able to show. He was so connected with them it was truly insane.
Gentle because Spencer’s music was true to him. He believes in his own sound and you can tell he’s put every ounce of emotion into it. He’s honest and raw with what he puts out and how he delivers it. At one point, I overheard a fan say “Is he going to cry? Because I am” as Spencer opened up to do an acoustic song. You could see in his face just how invested in this song he was and that he wanted you to be, too.
Spencer closed the night with his song “Sweater”, which was also the namesake for the tour. When I asked him about how the release of the song went he said: “I couldn’t have expected it to go any better. I knew people would like it because I started playing it on shows during the In Real Life tour and everybody starting singing it three shows in, like, the whole song. And I was like oh this is going to be a fan favorite song.”
February 18th, 2019 (via Ali Fitzgerald, @alfitzpics)
And it was. Every fan in the room lit up for “Sweater”. Jasmine, a fan in the audience, described the song as a jam, giving me an enthusiastic grin. She seemed overwhelmed at even just the thought of the song and after seeing it performed live, I get it.
There’s more, though. Spencer is releasing a new single this Friday and dropping an EP in March. The future of his music can take him above and beyond. He has the poise, charm, and passion to make it possible. As far as some collabs with other artists, Spencer says they’re coming, but he can’t spill just yet. He says “you can expect a little feature action.” And I can’t wait.
Leaving a show like that was heartbreaking and I’m feeling the post-concert depression as I write this. I truly felt so warm there. Anyone looking for a night you’ll never forget with music that can save your soul needs to see Spencer Sutherland live.
As for younger artists, Spencer reminds them that “It will happen 100%. You just have to keep doing it. Sometimes it seems so unreal like it would never happen, actually most of the time it feels like that. You just gotta stick with it. The people who don’t make it are the ones who give up.”
I’m grateful he didn’t give up because his talent is something that needs to be shared with the world. It radiates off of everything he does. He lights up a room in a way I haven’t seen from an artist in a while and I truly cannot wait to see where he goes next.
Spencer prepares to sing “Sweater” to sold-out show. (via Ali Fitzgerald, @alfitzpics)
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