Stephen Day Charms A Sold-Out 7th Street Entry
Wednesday night was another cold and blustery night outside, but another sold-out show at the 7th Street Entry that generated enough warmth to make the outside feel almost inviting in a way. It wasn't a super energetic show, but it was packed, and the amount of love and excitement that was flowing through the air was more than enough to warm up the small and intimate venue.
Wednesday night was singer-songwriter Abbey Cone's first time ever in Minneapolis, but you wouldn't have been able to tell that with the way the audience treated her with such a stunning amount of respect and attentiveness. After just a couple of songs, Abbey stated that this was the quietest large amount of people that she had ever been a part of. This is a theme of most shows that I go to, and I feel like people aren't quite ready for it. There's something special about concert-goers here in the Twin Cities. Even if they don't know you or your music, they will ensure that your voice and music are at the forefront of the night. This can catch some people a bit off guard, and although it was clearly a surprise to Abbey, she basked in the spotlight.
Abbey's songs are soft and sweet, with a slight Nashville country influence behind them. She sings aboutreal life, like how a man with an Xbox is a red flag. It was a funny moment that, as Abbey had pointed out, always gets some conversations going but, again, as soon as she kicked into her song about this funny topic, the audience went silent to the point where you could hear a pin drop if it weren't for her lush vocals and minimal yet highlighting guitar strumming. That song ended up being a bit heartbreaking about love and love lost, but that was kind of the vibe of Abbey's set. It was raw and emotional, with moments of smiles and laughs, but, at all times, there was this super deep and slightly dark aura behind it all. This added a sense of intrigue to her beauty, and by the time her opening set was done, I was left wanting to be lost in Abbey Cone's world for just a bit longer.
Abbey's set was brilliantly gorgeous, but she was not the reason for the Wednesday night show being sold out. Stephen Day was the reason for that. Stephen is a singer-songwriter from Nashville who is clearly quickly becoming a household name. His pop-leaning songs took twists and turns through everything from rock to soul to blues. Every song he and his band performed was served with a sense of energy and charm that I don't think I'll ever be truly able to put into words. He had the audience in the palm of his hand from the moment he took the stage and well into the night. Heck, he even had the audience take over the vocals for him by the time he finished the second song. This leans into that charm I mentioned.
Like I said, I don't know if I'll really be able to put Stephen's charm into words, but bear with me while I try. Personally, I had never heard of Stephen Day before this show. I was already slated to cover the show happening upstairs at First Avenue's mainroom, so why not check out something new while I was there? With that being said, there was something familiar about him within the first song. It wasn't his music or even his style (as his musical style is definitely not my usual cup of tea); it was more just him. He came off as uber-friendly and personable. The way he got the audience to sing along with him even if they didn't know the words was terrific to watch and, yes, even partake in. I loved how, when he wasn't stuck to the microphone, he spent his time wandering the stage and attempting to connect with every member of the audience. Even though I was all the way in the back due to the sold-out nature of this show and the fact that I had showed up just in time to catch Stephen Day's set after covering what was happening in the other room, I felt connected to Stephen, and it was just the cherry on top to an already terrific performance.
Wednesday night was Stephen's first night on this tour. It's a tour to promote his new album 'Gold Mine.' This tour will take him across the country. Please go see him. Even if you have no clue who Stephen Day is and feel that soulful pop music isn't quite your thing, Stephen Day is an act that should not be missed and will surely fill you with a sense of love and warmth that will more than make it worth your time. On top of that, I'm willing to bet you will end up falling in love with his music.