British singer-songwriter Daley was welcomed to Houston by a sold out show at Fitzgerald’s on Nov. 12. Many of his fans packed Fitzgerald’s downstairs to hear Daley croon acoustic versions of songs from his debut album, Days & Nights. The aptly titled “Unplugged” tour only featured an acoustic guitar, a keyboard and his voice.
Fitzgerald’s is one of the more personal Houston venues and proved to be a perfect location for Daley’s acoustic showcase. He started off the night with “Days & Nights” and ended with an encore of his hit single, “Alone Together,” which features singer Marsha Ambrosius. Daley also squeezed in covers of singer Jill Scott’s “He Loves Me” and singer Maxwell’s “Pretty Wings.”
As stated before, Fitzgerald’s is an intimate venue, especially the downstairs stage. This made for easy interaction between audience and artist. At one point during the show, a fan yelled out, “You showin’ out tonight!,” which made the entire room laugh, including Daley.
Daley’s performance was the epitome of great R&B music. His crisp, clear vocals are unrivaled by any other artists, except for possibly Marsha Ambrosius. The two artists sound very similar, which makes their song, “Alone Together,” so successful.
Opening acts Conner Youngblood and Travis McClung were also an impressive part of the show. It is a rarity when one attends a concert and becomes a bigger fan of the opening artist. In my case, this was true of Youngblood. His brief 30-minute set in which he played an acoustic and electric guitar, a ukulele and a banjo, was hauntingly beautiful. His songs feature a completely distinct sound, unlike anything in music today. He performed the tracks “Australia,” “Proportions” and “The Warpath,” among others, with the help of a loop pedal.
McClung also won over the crowd with his impressive vocal range and his cover of Frank Ocean’s “Thinking ’Bout You.”
After the show, Daley held a meet-and-greet for anyone who bought his merchandise, which not many artists do. Along with his vocals, his humility is also unrivaled in the music business.
Daley’s performance, as well as Youngblood’s and McClung’s, made this concert a really successful show. Many look forward to the next time Daley, Youngblood and McClung make a stop in Houston, hopefully in an intimate a venue such as Fitzgerald’s.