Concert Review: Steve Lacy at MGM Music Hall at Fenway

On October 12th and 13th, Steve Lacy transformed the stage of Boston’s MGM Music Hall into a funk-rock playground. At this sold out show, 5,000 devoted fans spanning the pit and balcony were thrilled by the incredible performance charged by his powerhouse voice, excellent stage production, and the energy of his soul-infused band.

Lacy’s an indie singer whose debut album was notably self-produced using GarageBand on his iPhone. The singer has distinguished himself from other artists in the category, utilizing poetic lyricism and creative genre-blending to reflect the complexity of the Black queer experience. Following the July release of his latest album, “oh yeah?”, the artist embarked on a 21-state tour, leaving sold out audiences awed across the nation.  In Boston, stunning demand resulted in Lacy performing an additional sold out show at MGM Music Hall at Fenway. 

With nothing but a microphone and the voice of a generation, he kicked off his first night in Boston with one of his most recent hits “is it cool?”, thrilling the young and hungry crowd as they swayed to the eclectic melody. Emerging out of a thick fog, the star sauntered towards center stage, illuminated by blue and pink lights. He sang the track fervently, slowly bouncing across the stage as he harmonized with the R&B/hip-hop instrumental.

“Doom” was the first performance the singer brought his signature guitar out for. Lacy asked the audience to repeat “a melody he created for this performance”, and they roared. This joy was only amplified when he strummed the tune’s complimentary chords, confirming the beloved track he was about to deliver. Several spotlights flashed over him, the band took effect, and he sang his heart out. The floors of MGM vibrated, not just from heavy bass pulsations, but the jumps from passionate fans who chanted every lyric. Intensifying the moment, Lacy extended the track with an unforgettable 10-minute electric guitar interlude, dancing with band members as they strummed.

One would think that after six shows, an artist would conserve their energy, but Lacy did not hold back. His discernable passion radiated through every harmony, belt, and dance move as if it was his first time performing. Embracing the emotional fluctuation of his tracks, the singer quickly adjusted from discouraged to angry, using physical movement to the songs mood and bring it to life. This stood out after his static performance of “nothing”, in which he remained in place, pleading its melancholy lyrics into the mic: “nothing can keep you off my mind”. During its synthesized outro, starry backlights suffused the venue. He followed this with a pink and white strobe-lit performance of “nice shoes/in your world”, firing up the audience as he dashed back-and-forth, chanting its choppy chorus: “make it stop/make it stop”.

As its instrumental continued, the singer hopped off stage for a brief intermission before running back shirtless and swinging, asking fans which songs they wanted to hear before he finished the setlist. Supporters flashed their phones with requests and Lacy granted their wish, performing five extra songs while chatting with fans in between.

After this interactive portion, he continued the setlist: his greatest old hits. He would charismatically ask the audience “What y’all know about this?” before performing fan favorites that they were elated by including tracks off of Apollo XXI, Gemini Rights, and Steve Lacy Demo’s, the notorious iPhone produced album. He concluded with a slower rendition of “Dark Red”,one of his most popular tracks. Its maroon engulfed stage revealed the meticulous attention applied to the tour’s design. He grinned as audiences tried to sing along to his skewed melody, building anticipation before he performed it in proper rhythm.

He bowed at its end as the audience cheered, most fans begging for an extra song. Lacy beamed as he scanned the crowd, “Y’all want an encore don’t you?” he said, inciting chants from the pit. He performed “the feeling” and “oh yeah” once again, serenading the audience as he pleaded into the mic. At one point, a fan tossed a pink flag onto the stage and he wrapped it around his body for the rest of the performance.

Cathartic is the only way to describe this concert experience as its provocation of ecstasy, tears, and laughter revealed the extent to which Lacy has mastered the craft he adores so dearly.