Canadian pop star, JP Saxe, brought a cinematic and comedic experience to the Royale in Boston on Wednesday, March 6. Saxe is currently on his “A Grey Area” world tour with his good friends Justin Nozuka and Nicole Zignago on the road with him. Childhood friends since they were 14, Justin and JP are now selling out shows all across the U.S on this special world tour.
Boston fans were buzzing with excitement as they arrived at the venue ahead of schedule, determined to secure prime spots for the show. Conversations were abuzz about the anticipated setlist, with fans speculating about which songs they hoped would make the cut. Amidst the anticipation, a fan shares: “I love his music. I saw him open for John Mayer and I was instantly hooked right away. I personally found him through that one hit song of his… “If The World Was Ending” and I heard he was coming to Boston, so I had to show up.
When his set began, Justin instantly made it feel like you were in a magical daydream. From the tone of his guitar, to the blue lights shining down, it was clear that he was going to start off the night just right. Nozuka’s first announcement was, “Man, I love this city,” which is something any fan would want to hear at the beginning of a show. The one thing that made the fans truly feel connected to the artist was the fact that it was just him on stage with his guitar and soothing voice. As much as audiences love watching drummers and guitarists rip it on stage, it was an amazing experience being able to see the fans connect directly to Nozuka and his music. Not only is he an amazing performer, he has great comedic deliveries as well. “Every time I’m performing in Boston, I always hear people in the crowd bark “rough rough rough.” The crowd immediately laughed, then followed with a few extra barks.
By the end of the set, you felt like you were in a cinematic movie. The background sounds and the electric voice of the talented Canadian artist made you feel like you were reaching the top of a mountain. As Justin Nozuka closed his wonderful set, he made the crowd feel comfortable and heard by saying, “You’ve been super kind to me, thank you. I’ll see you guys again soon, feel free to meet me at the merch table.”
The audience thoroughly enjoyed the extensive 24-song set, savoring each moment of the performance. Departing from the venue, they felt a profound sense of fulfillment and anticipation lingering in the air. One fan affirmed this sentiment as they enjoyed the show: “He is amazing, he is the best live performer I have ever seen. His set was too short. I wish I could see more of him, but I made the most of it. I was just sharing with my friends that his music really touches your soul and gets you through certain times. He is also an amazing person, look at him right there talking to his fans.”
JP Saxe’s stage design showcased an incredibly unique and intimate layout. Filled with lamps, couches, desks, paintings, plants, and more, it transported you into his home. After the crowd belted their hearts out with JP for the first couple of songs, he showed Boston that this show wasn’t just a typical concert; It was a comedy show as well. Saxe started out by announcing, “Ah, here I am, the city where I got rejected from their music school.” He then announced, “I’m going to restrain myself from talking for a few songs, we’ll all just meet in the music.”
Saxe displayed what concerts are all about. Escaping reality, enjoying music, and experiencing a cinematic dopamine hit: JP easily delivered all of the above. He reeled in the crowd during his moving song, “Tension.” Later in the song when the bridge came about, the crowd sounded like a choir when they were singing the catchy line, “I get cold but, you get colder.” You could feel how strong JP’s community was during this moment. As the night went on, the music got better and the crowd got louder. There was truly never a dull moment throughout the entire show. One of the best quotes I heard from Saxe during the night was, “We’re all emotionally intelligent to know that we’re doing life wrong, but we’re never emotionally intelligent to do anything about it.”
Besides speaking in motivational quotes and performing surreal music to his lovely fans, JP Saxe likes to play games with his fans during his set. A lot of questions were getting tossed around throughout the night. When JP first moved to L.A., he would try new songs at poetry events. I think this plays a part in his skill of making his shows not only feel like a concert, but an intimate and funny experience between him and his lovely fans. For example, the pop star had his fans throw out short phrases to help him rewrite the verse of his song. In keeping with the banter-filled atmosphere of the evening, some of the remarks exchanged included playful jabs like “Yankees suck” and “I should get drunk.”
After a few more hilarious phrases that came his way, he impressively managed to sing the rewritten verse off the top of his head. After a spectacular show, the one and only JP Saxe thanked the crowd and wished them all the best. The small acts of kindness that come from a big artist on stage truly goes a long way.
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PHOTO GALLERY: Mark Shur
