By: Paris Lewis
The R&B vibes brought life to the gloomy evening on Sunday night. Jon Vinyl brought his Heartbreak Hill tour to the Bronze Peacock, and it wasn’t a show you’d want to miss.
As the crowd poured into the small venue to claim their spots, early 2000s R&B hits played in the background, setting the mood for the night. This show only had one opening act, Reggie Becton. Becton took the stage promptly at 8 o’clock, easing the anticipation in the air. His excitement and energy were infectious as he danced across the stage in his all-denim fit, singing and interacting with the crowd. Becton’s sound was a perfect combination of a modern take on R&B with a hint of something from the 90s. The crowd loved the throwback R&B influence, as Becton included snippets of covers throughout his set. This performance easily made a great transition into the act of the night.
Soon after Becton left the stage, the lights turned down for the second time, prompting a video to appear on the projection screen at the back of the stage. A colorful outline of Jon appeared, reminiscent of a gif you might find online, and two backup dancers took the stage. Screams erupted from the intimately gathered crowd while the words from Vinyl’s Heartbreak Hill played. This led to Vinyl’s appearance onstage to the beat of Let This Go, while he joined in on the choreography with his dancers. It was clear from that moment on that this was going to be a great show.
Jon’s smooth, soulful voice filled the room as clearly as on his recorded tracks, which isn’t always the case with live performances. The setlist was a beautifully curated mixture of some of Vinyl’s earlier tracks in his catalog, including Storm and Addicted, as well as the popular hit Chrome Hearts and tracks from his newest album, Heartbreak Hill. Whether pulling on the pleasure or pain of your heartstrings, Vinyl’s songs can all be considered lover boy anthems.
Vinyl had such a likable stage presence and easily captivated the crowd with his raw emotion and storytelling ability. Whether he was dancing, speaking, or laughing at the cat calls from the audience, it was easy to see that Vinyl truly loves what he does. The night ended with Vinyl meeting and taking pictures with his fans after the show at his merch table. This was easily the best way to close out the show.
If you haven’t heard of Jon Vinyl, then make sure to put him on your list of artists to watch this year! You won’t regret it.
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