This past Sunday was a big date night at the Greek Theatre; couples of all ages lined up hours before show time as John Legend brought his Darkness and Light Tour to Los Angeles.
Along for the ride was Gallant, a rising R&B star with a seemingly limitless vocal range. This was his third time touring as a supporting act and he's learned a lot along the way. "Each person I’ve been able to tour with has been a completely different experience," he said. "This [tour with John Legend] feels a bit more like I’m sinking deep into a bunch of sand that I’ve laid out for the past year, and I feel like it’s preparing me for something else much bigger than I’ve ever experienced before."
Last year, he debuted a video series called In the Room where he's recorded collaborations with Sufjan Stevens, Seal, Jack Garratt and, most recently, John Legend. He has a dream collaborator though. "I really want to work with Brandy. I’ve always been a big fan and even just to meet her would be cool."
These collaborations and tours have taken him to all kinds of venues around the world, including festivals, which he has thoroughly enjoyed. "Right now, I prefer somewhere in the middle, which I think is the festival crowd where it’s not like a proper venue per se. It’s tons of people, but it’s still wide open and everything goes, no rules." But he still has a soft spot in his heart from the intimate club shows. "I did a really small show in San Francisco two days ago and it was really fun ‘cause it was super hot. Everyone was screaming and you could barely hear anything. It’s just a completely different vibe from the pristine-sounding venue where everyone’s seated and you can hear everything clearly."
Originally from Washington D.C., he moved to Los Angeles about four years ago and now call Sherman Oaks home. On his days off in the city, he likes to play video games and go bowling. He has a particular spot he goes back to all the time. "I go to this place in Burbank called Pickwick. I go there basically every Thursday and they have dollar bowling. Me and my friends just get pitchers of beer.” He also used to frequent the Bootleg Theater both as performer and audience member when he first moved here. Now he has played the Greek Theatre, packed on a beautiful Sunday night.
On stage, Gallant immediately assumed a strong, confident persona where he reached those soaring high notes so effortlessly. He seemed so lightweight as he leaped between both ends of the stage, either holding on to the mic stand for support or pushing it out of his way. If the audience was originally just waiting for the show to get to Legend's set, they were certainly paying attention by the time Gallant's first song was over. Some audience members couldn't help but cheer whenever he utilized his amazing falsetto, sometimes for long stretches of time; it's the kind of falsetto that's reminiscent of Michael Jackson and definitely catches you off guard if you've never listened to him before.
He finished his set strong with his popular tune, "Weight in Gold," which you've probably heard on the radio or in the popular Red Bull commercial he's featured in. One can't help but think he's set for something bigger. "While it’s its own experience [touring as support], I’m putting more things in perspective. Whereas before I was just practicing, practicing, practicing. This feels like I’m really preparing for a specific event to come in the future.” We can't wait to see what he does next.
The one and only John Legend took the stage next with an impressive visual display as he ascended up an eye-shaped hole with his piano. With a fully warmed-up audience ready to party, everyone was on their feet right from the start. It was amazing to see how Legend's music brought people of all ages together in one venue. His music is comfortably in between R&B and pop, offering tunes that are inclusive and enjoyable for everyone. Legend has been a big star for many years now, but seeing his show live puts into perspective just how talented and likable he truly is.
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