“Daley VS Drake” | Daley Live Review | The Social, Orlando, Fl | February 22, 2016

by • March 4, 2016

Manchester born singer/songwriter Daley hosted a brilliant night for all in attendance Monday, February 22nd at the Social.  A beautifully diverse crowd shared the room for the evening, aesthetically representing a myriad of ages, shapes, and shades. Orlando local Sarah Q opened up the night doing some popular R&B covers while mixing in her own originals and warming-up the crowd properly.

Daley, dressed in all black, was accompanied by his four-piece band and a hot cup of tea for the entire ninety-minute serenade. The band seemingly floated dexterously through a well-composed and thoroughly soulful set list consisting of Daley’s hits “Look Up,” “Be,” and “Alone Together.” Though privileged by the performance alone, the crowd was treated to two songs he was considering for his new album. Both of these songs were met with approval and immediate crowd participation. In the middle of the slowdown, Daley stopped to acknowledge his musical role models. The set then shortly dispersed into covers the likes of Prince and Usher. Oh, and yes, he covered “Hotline Bling,” and yes, everybody lost their minds, and duh, it was way cooler than Drake. 

Personally, I’m used to going to rock n’ roll shows where throwing my skinny arms and/or legs in any direction while simultaneously head banging is acceptable choreography. For the most part, I had to contain my precocious dance moves and attempt to move my hips with more antiquated rhythm than the developing fifteen-year old homecoming dancer inside of me.

My awkward dancing was enveloped by soulful and punctual ‘mmm’s’, escaping the mouths of impressed concertgoers as they concurrently snapped up a storm any deaf poetry slam would yearn to hear.”

I admit, I don’t know a lot of things with certainty. I surely do not know the right arrangement of words to describe the literal breath of fresh air that filled The Social via Gareth Daley’s diaphragm. The pure “vocalist” is so rare in the era of gargantuan production and miniature attention spans. It was beautiful to be surrounded by well-read patrons soaked in the raw artistry with devout attention to the stage.  Daley drew a vast and enrapt crowd, at times aspiring singers and songstresses who were belting (although, correct and well-rehearsed) unwarranted harmonies through the majority of the upbeat songs — probably hoping Daley would invite them up for a duet (it’s okay, I tried too).

If you missed this show and ever have a chance to see him, I would highly recommend it. Daley is an important figure in the future of R&B and is surely forging his own path alongside his contemporaries and inspirations of the past.

I, like an asshole beginning his “professional photography” career, was equipped with a fish-eye lens on my iPhone and took these really poor photos. Here.

Daley Live Review

Supreme voice. Premium quality photo.

Daley Live Review

Daley | The Social Orlando | February 22, 2016

Daley Live Review 2016 by Sean Gray, edited by Sarah “Sweaty Septum” Schumaker.


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