Daniel Caesar at MGM Music Hall, 10/16/23
I was first introduced to Daniel Caesar in the way most of Gen Z is introduced to new music: TikTok. I remember scrolling through my “For You Page” and coming across the song “Always.” I instantly became a fan and listened to Daniel Caesar’s discography in its entirety. Naturally, I jumped at the opportunity to cover his show.
I arrived at MGM Music Hall feeling a little anxious. This was my first time covering a show and I did not want to disappoint, especially when it came to an artist like Daniel Caesar. About 30 minutes after the doors opened, a line of concertgoers still wrapped around the block. With a crowd like this, I knew I was in for a great show. I arrived just in time to catch the last of Montell Fish’s opening set. He closed the set with “Pretend Lovers,” leaving it all out on stage while the crowd sang along to every line. His opening set the stage for Daniel Caesar and prepared and excited the crowd for the main act.
As the lights came on for Caesar, the crowd immediately started cheering, with many audience members screaming “I love you!” as he slowly walked onto the stage and got ready to deliver an unbelievable performance. The Toronto native started the night off strong with the first song, “Ocho Rios,” the opening track from his most recent release Never Enough. Caesar would often hold the microphone out to the audience, allowing us to finish the lyrics, and each time the crowd would sing back. I had the privilege of watching the first six songs of the set from the pit, and let me tell you, Daniel Caesar was fantastic. He kept the set design simple, with only his band and a couple of screens in the background which would flicker with pictures or would show a live stream of the real-time performance taken onstage by a cameraman. This forced the crowd to focus on what was most important: his voice and his music.
Caesar moved on to my favorite song from Never Enough, “Let Me Go.” The crowd went wild, or as wild as you can get to such a bittersweet song. As the audience repeated the chorus, a white curtain enveloped Caesar. The white curtains added to the ambiance of the concert, especially with the song “Toronto 2014.” The curtains forced you to focus on his voice, but the chemistry between him and the crowd was palpable even while hidden. Clearly, he wanted the show's main focus to be his music, not his theatrics.
Most of the songs Caesar performed were from Never Enough, but there was a good mix from his other albums. I was happy to hear three tracks off Freudian, my favorite album of his. I especially enjoyed his performance of “Best Part.” Even without HER, Caesar was able to put so much passion and emotion into the song with his acoustic accompaniment. Between song breaks, he would often thank the audience for coming out to see him and kept calling Boston “the most underrated city.” Daniel Caesar is an artist who can perform humbly while simultaneously showcasing his music with pride.
Caesar was able to switch between genres during his set effortlessly. The mix of R&B with some soul and the gospelesque chords in “Loose” kept audiences captivated. His lyrics are rarely upbeat, often mixed with nostalgia and heartbreak. Despite this, the vibe of the show was one of gratefulness. It was Daniel Caesar’s way of celebrating how far he’s come, both in the music industry and in the world.
Even though Caesar played some of his most popular songs, he also played some deep cuts like “ENTROPY,” “Violet,” and “Streetcar.” Though these songs are from his earlier days, the crowd enthusiastically screamed with excitement with just the beginning notes of these songs, showing just how loyal a fanbase Caesar has grown over the years. Caesar ended the set with “Always,” one of the most popular songs from Never Enough. By just playing the beginning few notes of the song, the audience immediately screamed and cheered in unison. Caesar was taken aback by this, joking to the audience, ‘Y’all like this song, huh?’As soon as he began singing, it felt like he put a spell on the audience. The couples that were in the audience began swaying along to the music, and anyone could tell that Caesar’s evocative voice was bringing all of us together, all of us feeling the same feelings that had led him to write such bittersweet, heartfelt songs.
The show’s simplicity was powerful. Even though it was not a small venue by any means, the entirety of the show felt like an intimate gathering. The focus of the show was Daniel Caesar’s music, his voice, and the feelings that come from hearing such heartbreaking lyrics. Caesar’s talent as an artist shone through most of all. I have not been able to stop listening to Caesar’s music since I saw him. As his songs play on repeat, I can truly appreciate the lyrics as they were intended to be: powerful and evocative, like only Caesar could write.
