Photos by Janine Van Oostrom
On the evening of June 14th, 2016 fans wrapped themselves around the block in downtown Buffalo as they waited for the doors of the Waiting Room to open. There the American singer/songwriter Garrett Borns (more famously known by his stage name BØRNS) would be playing for the sold out crowd.
Upon entering the Waiting Room one quickly realized that as a venue it was quite unlike any other. It had more of a drunk karaoke on a saturday night vibe than a concert where one of the biggest up and coming names in alternative music would be playing. Yet as the night wore on the tightly packed and overheated venue did add to the overall atmosphere of the show. The small venue made the concert feel more intimate and it did eventually make more sense why the Waiting Room was chosen opposed to a venue such as the Town Ballroom.
At 8:15 the openers, Lewis Del Mar, took to the stage. The folk pop duo were joined by three other supporting musicians and together they created a performance that was truly enjoyable to watch. Through their modest 30 minute set they cranked up the energy in the small room and received plenty of love from the crowd. As far as openers go they were top notch, with vocals that pushed the limits of what you would normally expect and a unique array of instrumentals. I’m quite certain that more than a few people searched up their spotify after the show. Without a doubt I would mark them as a band to watch in the future and who knows you may see them headlining the very same venue in no time.
By the time that Lewis Del Mar left the stage the crowd was buzzing (and sweating) as they eagerly waited for BØRNS to begin. After about another half an hour of waiting suddenly the background music stopped and Panda by Desiigner blasted through the hall as the band took to the stage. Then with the song still playing BØRNS walked upon the stage wearing his tight black pants, a leather jacket, and of course a white crop top. His entrance left the crowd wild as they cheered and sang along to the extremely catchy song. Then just as soon as the music started it ended and BØRNS led into his opening song ‘Seeing Stars’. From the very first song he put the crowd into a dream like state where every single person was held under his captivating spell. His set can only be described as a psychedelic pop with undertones of instrumental rock riddled throughout. Song after song every set of eyes in the crowd was locked on the man on the who fluttered around the tiny stage. Most notably during the songs ‘10,000 Emerald Pools’ ‘Past Lives’ and ‘Electric Love’, the crowd soaked themselves in the ecstasy of the songs and truly lost themselves in the music. Through his aura and sound BØRNS created a vibe in the room that touched everyone, whether they were crammed in the heat of the crowd or dancing by the bar in the back.
Several times through the evening you could hear high pitched squeals erupt from the front as BØRNS reached into the crowd and took the hands of the girls in the first few rows (at one point he even took a cellphone and a pair of underwear from the eager girls). Yet even with the array of fangirls lining the stage one could take a single glance through the crowd and realize just how diverse the audience was. It it a truly unique experience to see a crowd of all ages and genders be so captivated by a single live performance. When it came to the music BØRNS put a unique instrumental rock twist on his songs that isn’t heard on the studio album. By doing this not only did he up the energy in the room but he also added a different touch to his songs that is specific only to his live shows.
Overall BØRNS put on a dreamy show that left the entire crowd with a euphoric energy. From his hypnotizing vocals to the way he simply owns the stage you could tell that you were watching a truly rare and extremely talented artist.
