Don’t you stop it now! Give them all what they came here for!
Sammy Rae & Friends and Britton & the Sting gave everything fans came to Roadrunner for and more at their September 21st performance.
“We came to feel good and feel better,” opener Britton told the crowd as he and his band ignited the crowd’s energy.
The New York based group had the audience dancing and clapping to songs like “Many Chances” and “Drop.”
In their performance of “Church,” Britton revealed how he is still unraveling aspects of his religious upbringing; he shared that what has brought him peace is knowing that church is anywhere and everywhere you need it to be.
Through “radical authenticity and radical transparency,” Britton & the Sting created a sanctuary in the Boston venue as they performed the last show on the CAMP tour.
Adhering to the band’s website pledge that their “shows are safe spaces for you to do your thing; Raise your voice, wear your funky clothes, and dance how you like. We don’t have fans, we have Friends,” Sammy & Friends, without hesitation, led the audience to a “summer camp” haven.
Through unparalleled, jubilant energy and infectious vibes, they created that safe space.
“You make me feel so much at home,” Sammy told the crowd while surrounded by moss, wood-carved directional signs, and an occasional Sasquatch.
The octet performed songs like “Talk It Up” and “Kick It To Me” for their new friends.
As the lead, Sammy made sure to step aside and give every member time to shine with solos from C-Bass Chiriboga on drums, James Quinlan on bass, Will Leet on guitar/keys, Debbie Tjong on keys/drums/tambourine, Max Zooi on tenor saxophone/synths, and Kellon Anderson on alto saxophone.
Other songs on their 15-song setlist included new tracks like “Luck of the Draw” and “Coming Home Song.”
Sammy revealed that the latter started as an Instagram conversation about taking care of yourself. “You spend so much time lighting lanterns for other people, and sometimes you have to leave a light out for yourself.”
That theme of self-care continued with songs like “David” from her previous project, Newcomers Club.
“This is the story of a young man who deals with a lot of that anxiety and that stress, and problems in his life. He’s born into a difficult world, and he makes the decision to recognize that he is bigger than any of his problems and is capable of living the life that he wants to live,” she told the crowd.
From a microphone stacked with handmade friendship bracelets, Sammy’s warm, nostalgic, and transportive vocals breathed new life into Jet’s “Are You Gonna Be My Girl,” and Earth, Wind and Fire’s “September,” being that it was the 21st night of September.
She dedicated their cover of Rod Stewart’s “Ooh La La” to “the best storyteller I know, my Grandfather, who is no longer in this world.”
As the night came to an end, Sammy urged the crowd, “Won’t you come back again and bring a friend.”
For a night of joy and healing, grab a ticket for yourself and a friend here!
Photo Credit: Amelia Cordischi
