By AARON KREIN
Features Editor
Last Tuesday, Canadian superstar Carly Rae Jepsen took Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park, NY by storm with her “Gimme Love Tour.” Accompanied by opening acts Fairground Saints and Cardiknox, the three-hour show had a crowd of all ages looking forward to the 80’s inspired pop sounds of Jepsen.
Most people are familiar with Jepsen’s breakout hit “Call Me Maybe,” which spent nine consecutive weeks at number one in the summer of 2012. In August 2015, Jepsen released her third studio album, “Emotion,” which garnered critical acclaim and was included on numerous top ten lists for the year’s best albums. Despite amazing reviews, the album peaked at number 16 on the Billboard 200 and the lead single, “I Really Like You,” barely made the Top 40. However, compared to her breakthrough 2012 album ”Kiss,” this album helped establish Jepsen a dedicated fan base on websites like Twitter and Tumblr.
Folk rockers Fairground Saints started the night with five songs including their current single, “Can’t Control the Weather” and a cover of Justin Bieber’s “Love Yourself.” Comprising of Megan McAllister, Mason Van Valin, and Elijah Edwards, the 3-piece guitar group showed great chemistry and were an interesting pick to open before Jepsen’s heavy pop and dance set.
The second opening act, Cardiknox, felt like a more compatible opener with their electronic beats and seven pop tunes fit for a club. With Lonnie Angle on vocals and Thomas Dutton on keyboards, this pop duo brought the crowd to dance to tunes like “Wild Child” and their new single, “On My Way.” Dutton is known for being the front man for the disbanded indie rock band, Forgive Durden. Angle, sporting an orange furry jacket, played to the crowd, which at times was fun but also a bit distracting. Both of the opening acts greeted fans at the merchandise table after Jepsen’s final song and sold their albums.
The concert started off with Jepsen’s critically praised single, “Run Away With Me.” From the minute the saxophone player came out on stage, everyone in the building went wild. Songs likes “I Didn’t Just Come Here to Dance,” “Let’s Get Lost,” and “Call Me Maybe” also received a similar response from the crowd. It was during the uptempo tracks where Jepsen would jump off stage and interact with the front row in between the fence. Slow jams that highlighted Jepsen’s vocal ability such as “Warm Blood” and “All That” were personally my favorite of the night.
All of the tracks from the “Emotion” deluxe edition were performed except for “Black Heart.” She also performed the four released singles from the “Kiss” era including her duet with Owl City, “Good Time.” Jepsen also showcased a new song, “Fever,” from her new remix album that was released exclusively in Japan. An acoustic version of “Curiosity” from her first US album was also played. Jepsen closed the show with “I Really Like You.”
It’s one of those concerts where Jepsen’s hour and a half set felt like a complete blur. She performed each song with very brief introductions and only changed her outfit once. With the venue being standing room only, it felt like the ache of my legs lifted once Jepsen got on stage and returned after her exit.
The feeling of the concert hall felt like a club with people dancing with strangers and having what seemed the time of their lives. It showed that a pop concert could be just as fun without a bunch of background dancers and pyrotechnics in a massive arena.
This stop on the “Gimme Love Tour” was her third to last in North America before heading to Japan for four shows. Starting April 7th, she will be opening for fellow Canadian rockers Hedley on their “Hello World Tour” until the end of June. For anyone that is a fan of well-constructed pop music with memorable lyrics, don’t just listen to “Emotion” but see when Jepsen will be playing by a venue near you.
