Jacob Whitesides w/ the Other Band
The Crocodile, Seattle, WA
06.14.16
There’s a vocal pitch reserved solely for young ladies screaming in adoration for young, male pop artists, and that pitch was plenty at The Crocodile when Jacob Whitesides brought “The Lovesick Tour” to Seattle. Adding a second heartthrob to the lineup with Shane Harper sure didn’t do anything for eardrum salvation either, but these two guys did plenty to warrant the love.
For as much flack as pop artists – especially those of the YouTube or Disney Variety – catch these days, their talents for catchy-as-hell, melodic tunes are undeniable. Shane Harper was out to prove it. Backed by one additional guitarist, Harper sang his way through a soul-baring set of acoustic guitar-based tracks that had the crowd singing and clapping along.
Having just released a new EP titled Like I Did, Harper’s spirits were up and he joked with the crowd about face-timing their friends into the show. After all, it’s all about the fans. His tracks were mostly upbeat, sweet pop songs, though you can tell there’s a serious side to his lyricism, evolving through young love and faith. The song craft was solid, and Harper’s voice was clear. He was a great opening act in preparation for Whitesides.
Eighteen years old, and CEO of his own label, Whitesides has, over the past few years, gained his own millions of followers via earnest YouTube videos and the power of social media. And he didn’t fool around when he showed up with a four-piece backing band, full light show, and a super-slick, satin-lapeled black jacket.
His set contained material – accessible, hook-driven pop with easy, honest lyrics – from his three EPs, full of interesting twists, from bluesy funk to darker electro-pop, as well as a forthcoming debut full-length. A couple tracks in, Whitesides jokes with the crowd, “There’s only one rule tonight. If you don’t sing, then you suck. Kidding.” But it’s clear that won’t be an issue, the fans are singing along, waving their arms, dancing in the half-filled room. Parental escorts, little kids on shoulders, everyone’s chill, and enjoying the mostly upbeat vibe.
During “Rules of Beautiful” the crowd all held up paper hearts emblazoned with the words “we break the rules of beautiful” and swayed together for a touching moment. Then the rest of the show got a bit harder, Whitesides and crew picking up the pace. A cover of The Weeknd’s “I Can’t Feel My Face” was surprisingly good, and he closed the set with “Secrets.” On the way out, girls are talking about how hot the guitarist was, how early their phones died, and how much they are losing their voice, so overall, the show was a success.
Jacob Whitesides Set List
Rumors
Lovesick
Magic Bullet
Focus
Ohio
Open Book
Faces on Film
Not My Type at All
Broke Billionaire
Rules of Beautiful
Shame
Billboards
I Can’t Feel My Face (The Weeknd Cover)
Secrets
Review by Stephanie Dore
Photos by Zach Etahiri
Jacob Whitesides
Shane Harper
