It’s Halloweekend, and I’m standing in a line in Allston, not wearing pants for the third year in a row — only this time it’s 80 degrees and the line isn’t for the Delta Tau Delta House. The line is for Paradise Rock Club on Friday, October 27 and a gaggle of adolescents and early 20-somethings are waiting eagerly to see Aidan Bissett.

Rising indie pop artist Anna Shoemaker opened for Bissett. She started her set with “It’s Depression,” a song about a relationship where one partner is worried they pushed the other away and misses being in love. She continued on with “Mariah” and “666,” two songs that comment on the bittersweet complexities of romantic relationships.

Many of Shoemaker’s songs feature incredibly heartfelt, gut-wrenching lyrics about the painfully human experiences with love backed by catchy guitar riffs and uptempo drums; the rhythm is easy to dance to and creates a very warm, playful atmosphere. Shoemaker closed her set with the popular “Holly,” commanding the stage in an endearingly personable and joyously confident manner.

Shortly after, Aidan Bissett took center stage in a flowy white blouse and jeans. He immediately began playing the opening riff for “All That I’m Craving,” as guitarist Grant McManus and drummer Fionn Roche joined him. The crowd recognized the opening chorus instantly, chiming in as Bissett began to sing.

*All images courtesy of* *Isabella Cubba*

Bissett was originally scheduled to play the Boston stop on his Supernova Tour at Brighton Music Hall, which has a capacity of 476. However, upon the release of pre-sale tickets, his show sold out and moved to Paradise Rock Club, which has a larger capacity of 933. At a nearly sold-out show, the energy was incredibly exciting and genuine.

I was first introduced to Bissett back in May, when I photographed him opening for Valley on their Lost In Translation Tour. As an opener, your job seems to be more so about getting the crowd amped for the headliner and to introduce them to some of your material. Bissett’s case was different. The first rows of the pit knew his music. Even the people that didn’t — he still interacted with them to get them excited. It’s a true testament to his ability to perform and create art: anyone can enjoy it.

Seeing him headline his own tour at Paradise Rock Club — just a few months after touring with Valley — was incredibly exciting. Despite his youthfulness, he’s created a prominent space for himself in the music industry that is well-deserved.

After the first few songs, Bissett seemed to get more comfortable on stage and began to interact with the crowd. During his performance of the recently released “Wish It Was Me,” he carried his guitar with him and danced alongside fans at the barricade. He brought the same energy he did for the Valley tour; it was intensely exhilarating and the excitement was contagious. People at the back of the venue were just as engaged in the performance as fans at the barricade.

At such an intimate venue, one can more often see the artist in their entirety. Bissett truly seemed to enjoy performing his songs and was incredibly grateful to look out at such a full house — Boston being his biggest headline show ever — which he excitedly announced during his set.

During “A Song For Her,” which Bissett played halfway through his set, the chorus is him shouting into the microphone. At each stop on his tour, Bissett encouraged the audience to shout with him; he stood in shock as he witnessed 900-something fans shouting with him. (Sometimes actions are louder than words.)

Bissett continued to play fan-favorites including the viral 2020 hit “More Than Friends.” The girl next to me turned to her friends and said how she was “obsessed with this song” during the pandemic. I laughed a bit and remembered how my brother said the same thing to me when I took him to Bissett’s show back in May. It’s a song people never get tired of hearing and seems to be a song Bissett never gets tired of playing.

He also played an unreleased song, “Planet,” that details a deep admiration and love struck feeling for someone. A person at the barricade passed him a bracelet with their phone number on it-—possibly inspired by the song-—to which Bissett commented on how creative it was, considering no one had done that before. Several fans began to turn to their friends murmuring about how they wish they’d thought of that, making him laugh.

He chatted with the crowd a bit more before closing his set with the popular “Tripping Over Air.” Bissett played guitar-—perhaps an ode to the lyric “She likes boys that play guitar/Tattooed arms and a beat up car” and danced on stage. Many solo artists rely too heavily on their band to back them, but Bissett frequently showcased his musical talents by taking time for guitar solos and riffing with guitarist McManus and drummer Roche.

Aidan Bissett is truly solidifying himself in the music industry. His appreciation for the artform is clear in both his performance and craft. All of his songs are both relatable and clever to a wide range of people, from the fathers in the audience to the teenagers who drove in from suburbs. Bissett’s ability to seamlessly shift between singing, playing guitar and interacting with the crowd showcases his talent in its fullest. He is an incredibly well-rounded artist; it’s hard to believe he’s only on his first headline tour.

I’m excited to watch him grow and be able to say I’ve been a fan since the beginning. His EP Supernova is out now.

Concert Review: Aidan Bissett Brings Excitement and Authenticity to Paradise Rock Club

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