Opening on a rainy night in front of his childhood home with nothing but his trusty guitar, alternative pop artist Jeremy Zucker takes this time stranded at his old house to sing. On Oct. 22, Zucker performed at the Warfield in San Francisco for his Welcome to the Garden State tour.
(Photo by Adam Orrin)
The concert opened with some of Zuckers’ most commercially successful pop hits like “all the kids are depressed” and “comethru,” which had the entire audience belting the lyrics. However, what surprised me most was that after his most popular songs were finished, the energy never stopped with epic drum solos and epic light displays.
The concert primarily takes place on one set, outside of Zucker’s childhood home. Throughout the concert, it is creatively burnt by raging fires or worn down by relentless rainstorms. Yet, these natural disasters never knock the house down, symbolic of Zucker’s deep connection to his New Jersey roots and fond memories of his childhood.
As the whole audience sang along to the performance, the concert became a testament to the fanbase Zucker created. This idea was further developed in the acoustic “hometown,” where Zucker explores the complex feelings of growing up and the disillusionment of his new fame.
The concert took a turn away from the classic acoustic pop toward punk-rock at the end of the concert with the songs “time zones” and “pretty f*cking tight” that had Zucker running, sliding and jumping across the stage, beating the strings of his electric guitar. This switch in genres kept me awake and festive, while it displayed the full range of his instrumental ability.
Right as I thought the concert was over, Zucker ran back on stage for an encore, but instead of playing unplayed songs from his new album, he pulled deep into his discography. His use of older and energetic songs brought the concert to an end with a killer light show and a crazy guitar solo.
By the end, the concert had me hooked on the Jeremy Zucker craze. Whether it was his lyrical prowess or his guitar skills, the Garden State tour truly brought it home.
