Gavin DeGraw & Karmin command NYC
Sometimes people just possess a level of ‘cool’ when they are in the room. In the middle of a stressful finals week, I took a trip up to New York City for the day to catch Gavin DeGraw and Karmin at the 95.5 WPLJ Holiday Show at Best Buy Theater. Prior to the show actually starting, I met up with Gavin’s drummer, Ian O’Neill, to chat about what it’s like to drum for someone like Gavin and other experiences he’s had; and I met back up with Karmin to talk about their plans for a full length album next year, what this crazy year has been like, and the holidays in general. When Nick and Amy walked into the room already dressed for the show, they were two of those people that were just cool. Part of it could be their genuine kindness and part of it could be their talent; but they are just the type of people that when they are standing in front of you, the “it” factor is eminent.
At 8:15pm, the duo kicked off the show with a high energy 45-minute set that included some of their million view covers and newly charted originals. Complete with her signature hairstyle, Amy ran around the stage with energy that grew as the show went on. Singing and rapping like only she can, sounds of songs like “Look At Me Now” and “Brokenhearted” filled the venue. What started out as a group of fans that were chanting Gavin’s name became a group of fans that were singing along and having just as much fun off the stage as Amy, Nick, and the rest of the band were having on stage.
Having seen Gavin play at home in Arizona last year, I was curious what the east coast crowd would bring to the table. With a similar set-list to the last time I saw him play, I was easily able to compare the two crowds; and within seconds, it was obvious that this show was all around better than the last. Be it because of a year of practice, the receptive fans, or the fact that Colbie Caillat joined Gavin on stage part way through the show to sing their new duet, this hour and a
half show proved once again that Gavin has that little indescribable trait that just makes him shine on stage. Backed by a band that was there to make Gavin look his best, each member was visibly having the time of their lives on stage and fed off the crowd and each other just as much as Gavin. Starting out with the title track from the last album,“Sweeter,” and following with “Candy” and “Soldier,” the three songs set the tone for the great show in store. Hits like “I Don’t Wanna Be” and “Chariot” were sprinkled in along with a cover of “Breakeven” that lead into “Follow Through.” Prefacing “Chemical Party” with the line, “Booty shakin’ is a lot like pizza. Even when it’s bad, it’s still good,” the crowd was dancing from the front of the venue to the back. He slowed things down for a minute with “Run Every Time,” but for the most part, the set was filled with the up tempo songs.
Having talked with Ian earlier in the day, I knew that if there was an encore, the first song would be a personal favorite
of mine, “Radiation.” So when the lights stayed low and the band returned to the stage to play the opening notes of the song, I was just as excited as everyone else in the crowd. Ending with “Not Over You,” the twelve song set was the perfect taste of what Gavin’s music is like for those that didn’t know of him and was the perfect blend of some of my favorites for those that love his music. This was one of the last shows of this year for Gavin, but you can look forward to new music and a bit more touring next year. In the meantime, buy or rent a copy of the Sweeter: Live! DVD on iTunes to see what it’s like at a Gavin DeGraw concert. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
