The British musicians are coming. Well, to be fair, they’ve already infiltrated the US pop charts. However, not many have dominated the R&B sector – with Ella Mai being the notable exception in recent times. As others have developed cult-like fan bases here (across the pond), James Vickery wants more. His goal is to transcend from the indie underground whispers to the mainstream conversation. To do so, he started with his ability to headline an international tour.
With four dates spread out across three countries, Vickery’s self-titled tour marked the first time since the pandemic that the singer hit the road. Bringing along fellow Brit Shaé Universe as his opening support, the stakes for this string of shows were high. Although Vickery made simple work of selling out each step along the way, his final stop at Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn, New York, would be the ultimate test. Prior to his show on Tuesday, May 23, the songwriter’s last appearance in the area was in 2019 at Rough Trade NYC. So, the question quickly became, could he outdo himself? As concertgoers uncomfortably packed themselves into the 280-person capacity venue like sardines in a tin can, it’s evident that Vickery has outgrown his starter touring artist britches.
Shaé Universe was responsible for setting the atmosphere for the night. Fortunately for her, it didn’t take much to win the sold-out audience over. Starting with a delayed opening of the doors, attendees’ musical famine made them susceptible to anything placed before them. Despite the initial nervous rattling, Shaé Universe’s blended set of original songs and classic R&B tracks from the genre’s greats was a solid call.
On the other hand, without the proper onstage support from a full band, Shaé performance was unimaginative. The “You Lose” singer roughly transitioned between tracks following short exchanges with the crowd. Her refusal to fully work the stage beyond her immediate surroundings made Shaé great to listen to but a bore to watch. Candidly speaking, Baby’s All Right doesn’t offer much in terms of lighting effects, sound capabilities, or an imaginative stage setup. However, as a live show stepping stone, a venue at this ranking displays whether or not an artist is prepared to transition to the next level. Based on these elements, Shaé Universe isn’t quite there. The recording artist’s vocals were strong; unfortunately, her flat stage presence didn’t make weight.
During intermission, the house DJ programmed a brief intermission of broad genre-fluid songs. Was that ideal for setting the mode before James Vickery’s pending performance? No. But, after witnessing a momentary physical scuffle between concertgoers, folks didn’t mind. Keyboardist Jay-Keyz and drummer Duayne Sanford immediately reset the room’s vibrations from combative to carnal. Quening up his latest EP Sheet Music’s fan-favorite track, “Only You,” Vickery took to the stage as the crowd fiercely cheered. Indeed, the thunderous roar from the crowd brought a cheeky grin to the musician’s face; it presented a slight issue. Fighting against the crowd’s enthusiasm, Vickery succinctly faced pitch problems delivering his opening notes. Vickery has shared on countless occasions that he is a proud hearing-impaired singer, so hopefully, in the future, crowds become more mindful of this as his shows balloon. Immediately after he regained his footing, it was off to the musical races. For the crooner, as he charismatically outlined during one of his many monologues, the evening would consist of two parts. First the foreplay, where each track is selected to set the mood.
For the first quarter of his set, tracks off his 2021 album Songs That Made Me Feel, including “Hourglass,” “Street Lights,” and “Somewhere, Out There,” sensually worked to spike the altitude of pheromones in the air in which instrumentalists Jay-Keyz and Duayne Sanford played a fundamental role. The default frat house-isque lighting sequence proved to be of no assistance in washing the entertainer out completely. Thankfully, Vickery’s buttery vocals as Jay-Keyz and Duayne Sanford played in the background were more than enough to drill home the seductive nature of the show.
In the latter portion, prefaced by “All That I Am,” amplified Vickery’s irresistible charm. Songs “The Reason,” “With U,” and “Always Knew,” featured on his latest EP Sheet Music, activated all the lovers in the audience. Try as you might, if you were anywhere within earshot of Vickery’s delicate vibrato, you couldn’t resist the urge to slow dance as you found yourself lost in his hypnotizing spell. Switching between showman and singer, Vickery walked that tightrope all night with his two-man band as the safety net to catch him. Coming to a close with his breakthrough single “Until Morning,” peak pleasure was reached. Recounting the career-changing effect the song’s success has had on him as an independent artist, Vickery shared that he was now going to press forward in the next stages of his career as a newly signed artist. Demanding another track from the musician, Vickery gave in to the encore request with “(I Get So) Emotional. As the house light jolted on, the show officially wrapped. The South Londoner answered concerns loud and clear. He’s ready to level up. Is mainstream R&B ready for him?
Want more of James Vickery? Be sure to connect with him across your favorite social media platforms, including Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.
James Vickery’s latest EP Sheet Music is available now. To stream, click here.
Setlist:
- “Only You”
- “Hourglass”
- “Something Good”
- “Street Lights”
- “Somewhere, Out There”
- “All That I Am”
- “The Reason”
- “Pressure”
- “You Comfort Me”
- “With U”
- “Always Knew”
- “Save You”
- “Until Morning”
Encore
- “(I Get So) Emotional”
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