To witness Jacob Collier’s live show is to experience a magical construction of sound, woven together by sheer joy and talent. His Djesse World Tour visited The Van Buren this week and mesmerized a roomful of devoted fans ready to soak it all in.
Forgoing an opener is a rare move, but we needed the full two hours to properly absorb Collier’s plethora of sounds. He bounded onstage after a brief intro by his impressive band and immediately had the room harmonizing before the first song had even begun. Every current and former band kid, music theory enthusiast and academics alike watched and listened in awe as Collier flew between instruments at hyperactive speeds.
The soft-spoken Brit chose his words carefully between songs, blending expressions of humble gratitude with background anecdotes about the making of his favorite tracks. The fans were treated to “With the Love in My Heart” to open the night and later swayed and danced to “Hideaway” and the sing-a-long friendly “The Sun is in Your Eyes”.
Collier is a world class instrumentalist, darting across the stage to play percussion, piano, guitar and more- all while melding his voice with the angelic vocals of his backing band. “All I Need” was a highlight of an already stunning evening and Collier certainly put the audience to work throughout the night on backing harmonies. Watching from the rear of the venue was akin to being wrapped in Collier’s tapestry of music.
Even after hours of watching his set, the night ended far sooner than anyone would have wished. A brief interlude passed before Collier and his band rejoined the audience for a campfire rendition of the Beach Boys’ “In My Room” and The Beatles’ “Blackbird”.
Hearing Collier’s catalog in person is a treat and one that no one in that room will ever forget. The Grammy winner has nothing to prove and everything to showcase and those in the audience at The Van Buren will forever be part of this moment with a legend in the making.
Check out all the photos from the show!
Story and photos by Olivia Khiel
