It’s all about the DRAMA and Spencer Sutherland served up just that at his North American tour kickoff this week. The flamboyant singer was joined by two fierce openers on this cross country road trip and they all brought plenty of their own flair to The Van Buren’s stage.
The ethereal Cloe Wilder practically floated onstage in her glittery gown and captivated the crowd immediately with her lilting vocals and charmingly sweet demeanor. Her set was short and sweet but very sincere, winning the hearts of fans already excited at her joining Sutherland on the American leg of the tour as well.
Stacey Ryan delivered her own dose of the dramatic with deep magenta lighting and her signature pigtails. Armed with only a guitar and piano, she delivered a set that put the focus squarely on her skills as a vocalist and a musician. Beyond the dramatic lighting, her performance was a testament to how stripping back the music packs just as much of an emotional punch- and the crowd was loud in their agreement.
“Welcome to the Show!” was the only possible way for Sutherland to open this first night of The Drama World Tour and he strutted onstage in a blue and white spangled jumpsuit for an even more dazzling effect. He was a tornado of movement and glitter, running up and down the stage and reaching for the fans through “Let Me Loose”, “Everybody” and more.
Leaning into this theatrical theme, Sutherland threw in his own take on Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” (which a surprising number of people in the front row seemed unfamiliar with) before settling on his throne and delivering stunning vocals befitting royalty. He’s the king of his own castle onstage but he brought the kingdom down into the crowd for two slower songs performed at the soundboard while the fans stood a respectful distance and lit him up with their phone lights.
Sutherland was visibly emotional as he took a beat to express his love and gratitude to all the fans who have shown up for him since the beginning- minus his first corporate gig in Arizona years ago. The rest of the show was a flourish of sequins from Sutherland and screaming from the audience as the opening night of The Drama Tour capped off with a bang. Sutherland professed his love for the desert state early on, stating that he’ll never skip Arizona on a tour and his fans will certainly always welcome back his brand of drama.
