Concert Review: Joshua Bassett
By: Grace Srinivasan
Joshua Bassett blew Detroit away last Sunday, March 19th on his second headlining tour, The Complicated Tour. He made a remarkable impression on the city of Detroit with his infectious energy and rich vocals. Joshua knew how to keep the crowd on their feet with their spirits high as he entertained throughout the night. He had the perfect opener, Lindsey Lomis, to kick off this captivating, high energy show.
Photo: Natalie Sakstrup
Lindsey had a wonderful stage presence that hooked the attention of the crowd. She performed “call me when you get home”, “DAYDREAMING”, and “save your breath”, her beautiful voice filled the venue. Lindsey set the vibe for the night with her incredible vocals, skilled guitar playing and her crowd engagement, amping the crowd up for Joshua to hit the stage.
The moment Joshua Bassett stepped on stage, the energy in the room elevated. Joshua’s stage presence was unbelievable. He was so interactive with the crowd and one of the most engaging performers I’ve seen! Joshua opened the show with “Feel Something” which got the fans on their feet and heightened their enthusiasm. From the beginning of the show, Joshua set the bar high. He immediately interacted with the crowd by approaching the audience members multiple times, holding fans’ hands and singing to them. The energy of the show was electrifying; at a constant high, with Joshua running around amping up the crowd from start to finish. It felt like a never-ending party.
While transitioning into his song “LA”, Joshua exclaimed, “Your worth isn’t in what people say about you.” This really resonated with the crowd as they cheered after that statement was made. Joshua’s attentiveness and care towards his fanbase was clearly on display. Joshua then brought the energy down, taking a break from running and dancing, as he sat down at the piano to play “Used To It”. He then switched gears during “Finally Free”. Everyone danced as he was moving around the stage, and never seemed to break with his contagious rhythm.
While Joshua performed “Common Sense”, he went into the middle of the pit with his microphone and guitar. The fans were very respectful of his space making sure to give him plenty of room to perform. During “Lifeline", the fans held up their fan project consisting of white paper hearts saying “You’re Our Lifeline”. This was a very special and heartwarming moment. Joshua made sure to hit all of the bases when it came to interacting with the crowd and making sure everyone got to interact with him. His engagement with the crowd was truly next level.
Photo: Natalie Sakstrup
Joshua surprised the audience by covering the theme song “I’ll Be There For You”, from the well known comedy show, Friends. The packed crowd surprised Joshua, as they sang along with every lyric. As he performed “Different”, he immersed himself into the crowd again, being up close and present with his fans. He even traveled to the upper balcony to be with the fans there. He went to each side of the upper balcony, holding people’s hands, taking pictures, and even hugging a few of them. This made the crowd ecstatic. A few were left crying as he held their hands and sang to them. You could tell how much that interaction meant to these fans.
Joshua was everywhere that night, from the middle of the pit, to the periphery of the room, and all over the balcony. He covered the whole venue, with no spot being missed. He made sure his fans got the most out of their experience. Even those who were in the balcony or in the back of the pit got to experience seeing him up close. He was very accessible to the whole crowd. That was one thing I was very impressed with during this show; his ability to make sure everyone was included. He created a very safe, caring, energetic, and inclusive environment that made all of his fans feel welcome and at home.
Joshua Bassett has a gift of making everyone feel like they belong, as he showed his love and gratitude for his fans in Detroit. His beautiful vocals and his contagious stage presence definitely lit up the room and captivated this Detroit audience.