Tori Kelly in Indianapolis reviewed
Drawing perhaps the youngest crowd it’s accommodated this fall, the Egyptian room welcomed YouTube sensation tori kelly last Sunday. After Johnny Stimpson warmed up the crowd with a very Justin Bieber-esque set, the big-haired babe gave her fans exactly what they came for at her sold-out show.
Say what you will about pop music and younger crowds, but tori kelly fans go hard. Despite the number of fans under 15 years old (and even under 12), it was clear that those in the front of the line for doors had been there since early in the morning. The line almost wrapped around the entire building. With the younger crowd came a tremendous amount of energy- and fangirling.
Vocally, the show was stunning. A perfect amount of rawness and grace composed the strong emotional impact the 22-year-old’s chords on her audience. While nothing spectacular, the instrumentals effectively served as augmentation for the real aspect fans came to see.
The set was essentially no different than any other pop concert, but her personality and talent helped to set her show apart from the typical commercial atmosphere of Top 40 shows. It was clear that she wasn’t discovered; she worked her way up to where she is, and she made it a point to express how thankful she was to her crew, fans, and producers.
With this sense of gratefulness came a certain intimacy. Her show wasn’t set up like a performance, but rather a conversation with the audience. Constantly explaining the meanings behind her songs and responding to the crowd’s shouts of adoration, a true connection was formed between her and her fans. Kelly credits her success to YouTube, and showcased her roots with a mix including some of her hit covers that contributed to her rise within the pop world. I spoke to a few people who attended her meet and greet, and they all expressed how genuine and “real” she was. This humbleness was evident in her personable, informal show.
All in all, tori kelly accomplished a nearly impossible task- truly connecting with a sold-out Egyptian Room. Whatever combination of humility, talent, grace, and spunk she was peddling, the crowd ate it up. The only question I would pose to her or her management would be: What are you going to do in five years when she sells out Klipsch Music Center in Noblesville?
-Kelly Fox
[lg_slideshow folder=\”2015/Tori Kelly in Indy/\”]