As the glowing lights dimmed at Hollywood Bowl, fans anticipated what was on the way. At approximately 9:26 PM on September 22, 2023, murmured conversations transformed into screaming matches over a live video feed of Daniel Caesar as he walked onstage. The anxious energy that flooded the venue was enormously heightened with a point-of-view shot. He graced the crowd with a look back into the camera, causing concert attendees to scream louder (and a few octaves higher), before reaching the main stage. Despite Caesar being known for his slow soulful rhythms, a wild excitement still filled the Bowl. There he was, in all of his glory; Daniel Caesar had arrived.
Tears were shed as audience members hugged and swayed from side to side, hearing the first lyrics come out of Daniel's mouth: "In the nick of time, that's when you appeared." He opened up the show with "Ocho Rios", a song from his latest album, Never Enough.
"In the nick of time, that's when you appeared."
Instantly, you could hear microphone feedback of screaming fans from the floor section, both of which remained ongoing throughout the show. Whether on the floor or in higher sections, viewers shared a natural rush and undying love for their favorite artist.
Caesar stepped out in a monochromatic grey outfit: a short sleeve hoodie and long shorts that just passed his knees. His whole set matched perfectly with his "master of discretion" aesthetic as concertgoers viewed very minimal shots of the front of his face. Backed by an entire band, Caesar's set lit up with many alternating grey, blue, black, and white tones. Smoke and strobe lights created dream-like effects, which corresponded to each song's lyrics.
Daniel Caesar performed songs from Case Study 01, Freudian, Never Enough, Acoustic Break, Pilgrim's Paradise, and Praise Break. Songs from Never Enough ranked first, with the majority of the songs performed coming from the album.
From Case Study 01 he performed "Cyanide", "Enthropy", "Open Up", and "Superpositon". Out of the three, "Superposition" was the only unplanned song of the concert. Right before singing, Caesar stated, "this is the part where I decide on the fly what I'm going to do". Fans experienced a surprise acoustic rendition of the track, much to their delight.
From Freudian, he performed "Best Part", "Get You", and "Loose". Since "Best Part" and "Get You" feature artists H.E.R. and Kali Uchis, Caesar relied on the audience to sing their parts. They delivered, even performing the ad-libs, which acted as another humorous aspect of the interactive crowd. During "Best Part", the big screen switched from footage of Daniel Caesar to pans and close-ups of the audience. The twenty-somethings in the crowd beamed while singing along, a couple snuck in kisses, and others shielded their weeping faces out of embarrassment. While he performed "Get You", the artist interacted with the audience, singing: "who would've thought I'd get you?" He asked, "oh yeah?" as a question, which prompted the audience to reply, "oh yeah, babe". During "Loose", the stage lights went dark and a piano arrived front and center. A single spotlight illuminated Caesar's silhouette from above.
"Los Angeles, I'm not lying to you when I say this... this may be the best show of my entire life, I love you guys," Caesar admitted. The crowd went berserk as he reassured every person in the crowd that the concert affected him as much as it had them. He spoke as if history was being made with every second of the performance.
As the show reached the beginning of its end, Caesar performed "Always" from the Never Enough LP. The audience sang and swayed in a simultaneous trance, all while staying in perfect harmony. The star strutted off stage after completing the song; little did the audience know that this was the last time they would see Daniel Caesar in the show. With the dim lights a perfect cue, the anxious crowd began to understand the situation. Caesar performed "Streetcar" as an encore backstage–the same way the concert began–through a live feed on a handheld camera. The phenomenal show, sadly, came to an end.
Daniel Caesar's connection with his fans remains unmatched. There is an unspoken understanding between the showman and his audience, making for an absolutely electric show. His lyrical genius regarding yearning and love create an engaging experience unique to each and every fan.
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