Fans of Patrick Droney’s mellow melodies were in for a treat when the singer-songwriter brought his Runaway Tour to Phoenix’s Crescent Ballroom on Saturday. The sold-out room leaned heavily Gen X, and those who were expecting a low key night out were pleasantly surprised by the lively performance in one of the Valley’s most beloved venues.
Cecilia Castleman, who’s on her first-ever tour, played a sweet set sitting on a barstool with just her guitar. She told stories about putting her songs together and about her time on the road so far, and she was welcomed graciously by the crowd.
After years of not playing in Phoenix, Patrick Droney also got an enthusiastic welcome from the room, which was packed to the gills by the time he took the stage. “I remember being here ten years ago,” he says about the Crescent Ballroom, “opening for someone, just me and Max” on the keyboard. How far he’s come since then: two albums, two EPs, and at least a dozen singles, some so cherished by the crowd that the bolder fans shout-requested them between every song during his set.
Like Castleman, Droney had his own stories to tell about his music, and he did a mid-set acoustic session to pay homage to the “quiet corners” where he feels more inspired. Plenty of fans were in tears during the stripped-down version of “Glitter,” which addresses grief, and “On Your Way Home.” But in the effort to end on a high note, the band came back to deliver the hits from his early catalog, including “Ruined” with Cecilia Castleman.
Critics and casual bloggers alike are calling Patrick Droney the next John Mayer, and we can only hope he’s playing arenas in the next decade.
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Story and photos by Taylor Knauf
