Back in December I bought tickets to see Charlie Puth and Hailee Steinfeld on the Honda Civic Tour. Buying tickets to anything so far in advance can be tough and little did I know then that I would have planned a last minute trip to Toronto with only one day in between this show and that trip.
I almost didn’t go to this show. After trying and failing to sell the tickets (that’s a long, crazy story), I knew I wasn’t going to waste them. So off we went to DTE Energy Music Theater on a wonderfully hot and sunny summer evening. This was actually my third year in a row seeing the Honda Civic Tour. I saw Demi Lovato & Nick Jonas and OneRepublic & Fitz and the Tantrums. It’s a fabulous tour because it always brings two stellar acts.
Traffic was light and we didn’t have to rush to our seats in the third row. Hailee Steinfeld took the stage first. I’m a big fan of Hailee and really enjoyed seeing her live. She performed her biggest hits and took a little time to talk to the crowd.
Her set was focused on dancing with backup dancers that could seriously move. She did not have a band, singing only to a track and the middle of her set was incredibly rushed with parts of five or so songs.
This isn’t to say Hailee wasn’t enjoyable. I liked her before the show, during her performance, and after, but I would have like to see a little more oomph behind the show, and to be honest, I don’t know if I would see her as a solo act, but she was a great accompaniment to Charlie. I am happy I had the chance to see her under these circumstances.
After walking around the beautiful tree surrounded amphitheater concourse and snagging a frozen strawberry margarita made with fresh fruit (it was amazing), we headed back down to our seats and Charlie took the stage before long.
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from Charlie. I love him and his music. It’s fun and not too heavy, but I had a few doubts he could carry the show. The second he took the stage, any doubts I had about what kind of show this might be vanished. Charlie Puth is an authentic, genuine entertainer that allows himself to shine through at every moment. He seems normal and like a bit of a nerd. He’s like all of us; he just writes great music.
And he can sing. Oh can he sing. And play the piano. And talk to the crowd. He does have a band that he utilizes well, but the show is about him: his music, his voice, his personality that is infectious.
He played all his hits from the latest The Way I Am to One Call Away one that helped to launch his career, and everything in between. Some of the piano riffs grew tiresome when they were inserted into every song, but more and more performers do that to mix songs up, and I didn’t want the show to end.
At 90 minutes it is on the light side, but with two major acts it made sense. Years from now Charlie will be able to perform a two hour set as he releases more music. For now, he could add a cover or two to the setlist to add some variety and give fans just a little more.
My favorite moments were probably when he was connecting with the crowd, reading signs, even pointing out a fan way out on the lawn. It showed he really is a nice guy who appreciates his fans.
We slipped out during the encore See You Again. I really never do this, but since I was leaving for my trip in about thirty six hours, it was worth saving the time walking to the parking lot without the crowd and then escaping it.
That said, I would definitely see Charlie again. I just had a good time hanging out at the chill show. It wasn’t base pumping, screaming, jumping up and down all night. Instead it was about enjoying fantastic music and letting the world fade away. I can’t help but think that is probably what Charlie would have wanted.
So glad you decided to go even though you had a big weekend coming! Looks like a great show and worthwhile!
Yes! I am so glad I went!
yesss-I saw him open for Shawn Mendes last year and thought he seemed so relatable and down to earth, and obviously an amazing musician!
You totally hit the nail on the head. I hope to see Shawn Mendes one day too.
That was a busy several days! So much packed into them, topped off by this concert. Sounds like a fun time. Good read — thanks.