Concert Review: Stephen Sanchez - A Star in the Making

By: Grace Srinivasan

The city of Detroit was graced with the presence of up and coming musician, Stephen Sanchez last night. Based in Nashville and currently embarking on his first headlining tour, Detroit showed up for Stephen, with a turnout of a sold out show. Sanchez, originally gaining fame through social media app Tik Tok for his most well known record, “Lady by the Sea," has rapidly skyrocketed in the industry gaining more and more recognition. Despite the cold, people were amped to see Sanchez perform live, with the venue packed to the brim, overflowing into the bar. 

Opening for Stephen Sanchez was the lovely Kings Eliott. Kings Eliott was very engaging with the crowd. Her music was captivating to the audience, as she performed and interacted. A few songs she performed were “Call Me A Dreamer” and “I’m Getting Tired of Me”. Her vocals echoed throughout the room as fans listened and enjoyed her music. She brought up the vibe of the crowd before Stephen stepped on stage and was the perfect opener to set the mood for the night. 

Photo: Grace Srinivasan

As soon as Stephen entered the room, the crowd went wild. The crowd was in awe, myself included. He stepped onto stage, his stylish outfit lining into view. His outfit consisted of a black shirt with a red star stitched in the middle, and black jeans, tying the look together with his matching black guitar detailed with stars on the straps. He opened the night with “Hey Girl” off of his most recent album “Easy on My Eyes”. The energy in the room livened even more as the first song went on. During the beginning of the show he stopped multiple times to check on fans, being very attentive to make sure everyone was doing well. While singing “Kayla”, he took a disposable camera from a fan and took a picture of himself. He performed one of the songs that helped launch his career, “Lady By The Sea,” as blue lights reflected onto the crowd. You could tell that people immediately knew this one as soon as it started, to which he had everyone participate in a sing-a-long during the song, creating a special moment between Stephen and the crowd. 

Photo: Grace Srinivasan

Fans in the crowd yelled out nicknames, Steve and Stevie, to which Stephen commented on how sweet the crowd was. Stephen was very excited about receiving gifts from the crowd. At one point he received a bee squishmallow, sunglasses, and a lei which he put on while performing “I Want You”. During the middle to end of the show, Stephen was expressing his gratitude for what he gets to do and being able to tour with his dear friends.

As Stephen conversed with the crowd, he said, something that really stuck with me which was “This is such a beautiful way to connect to the world”. This resonated with me because it is very true. Music has such a special power to bring people together, whether it is listening to a song or going to a show. Music connects people. Another special moment was when he performed an unreleased song, during which the fans held up flashlights creating a sea of light, illuminating the intimate venue.

Stephen then covered “Unchained Melody” by Elvis Presley. While he was performing this song a fan in front of me held up a sign saying “You’re Our Elvis”. Stephen closed out the show with another unreleased song. This song was upbeat, catchy, and even featured a guitar solo with red and white lights flashing in the background. He showcased his performance abilities while dancing, singing, and playing guitar. For his first time in Detroit, and a sold out show, Stephen exceeded all expectations. His vocals, stage presence, and meaningful interactions with the crowd blew me away. He put on a phenomenal show, and is well deserving of his recognition.

If you get the chance to see Stephen Sanchez live, don’t pass up on it. He is a star in the making, and Detroit made sure he knew that.