Jason Derulo w/ Tina T
Washington State Fair, Puyallup, WA
09.26.15
Those Abs. Those Feet. That Voice. It’s hard to resist the pleas of Jason Derulo, the chart-topping – and yet underrated – R&B crooner as he attacks the stage at the Washington State Fair. The crowd is thick in the grandstand but not sold out, and DJ Tina T played a solid opening set from the decks, everyone up and dancing in preparation for the main act. And Derulo didn’t disappoint.
Known for his moves – he’s currently sidelining as a judge on So You Think You Can Dance – Derulo’s swagger is in top notch form, shiny moto pants, red patent high tops, and leather varsity jacket all in place. He’s a looker, this one, and not afraid to play to the ladies, throwing sex appeal and sideways grins all over the stage. He kicks off the set with “In My Head” from his 2010 self-titled debut. And after “The Other Side” he strips down to a black tank top (which doesn’t last long – he’s shirtless just a couple songs later), working up a sweat via frequent dance breaks during which he tucks his mic into a holster and keeps up with his many backup dancers like a pro.
Four albums in and the twenty-six-year-old has racked up ten platinum singles, and millions of fans, his ability to wrangle a hit unquestionable. But somehow, Derulo is still somewhere on the fringe of major pop music success and seemingly still finding himself in the industry. But his set list, laced with hits from throughout his catalog, made for a more solid show than I’ve seen in a while. Tracks like “Marry Me,” a soft crooner of a ballad, won over the ladies if they weren’t already in the palm of his hand, and of course he brought out “Whatcha Say” and “Ridin’ Solo,” both top hits from his debut that you might have forgotten about but come rushing back like you heard it on radio repeat yesterday.
His 2 Chainz collaboration “Talk Dirty” brought out Derulo’s explicit side, but to be honest, it was “Want to Want Me” – his current major radio hit – that was the showstopper. It’s a track I have admittedly had on repeat all summer, and clearly I’m not the only one. The crowd went wild. He closed out the show with a dance sequence set to the bounce-worth “Pull-Up” and left everyone with looks of pure joy and appreciation on their faces.
Crisscrossing the globe on his current tour, catch him if you can here. You won’t regret it.
Jason Derulo Set List
In My Head
Trumpets
The Other Side
Marry Me
Whatcha Say
Ridin’ Solo
It Girl
Cheyenne
Try Me
Breathing
Don’t Wanna Go Home
Talk Dirty
Want to Want Me
Pull Up (dance sequence)
Review by Stephanie Dore
Photos by David Endicott
Jason Derulo
