A broken ankle can’t stop Daniel Caesar on his “Son of Spergy” Tour, even if he has to roll around on stage with a knee scooter.
If fans worried his injury would affect his performance, they were proven wrong the moment he started his first song, “Rain Down,” at Chicago’s United Center on Sunday night.
Despite the setback, Caesar did what he does best: singing. Unlike other artists that incorporate dance acts and theater-like performances into their shows, Caesar’s strengths lie in his incredible vocals and unmatched ability to sound exactly like he does in the studio.
He also showed off the voices of a 16-person choir that accompanied him during the set. The group’s background harmonies contributed to the studio-like performance, as some of the songs Caesar performed — like “Who Knows” and “Sins Of The Father (feat. Bon Iver)” — have a choir backing in their recorded versions.
Beyond their voices, Caesar also did an incredible job choosing his opener. Indie singer-songwriter Faye Webster’s vocals shined before the beloved R&B artist took Sunday’s stage. She was accompanied by a band, but Webster’s own guitar playing was the highlight of her set.
It was clear many fans came for both her and Caesar, as it seemed like the entire stadium was singing along to Webster’s songs “Kingston” and “Jonny.”
Faye Webster was selected as the opener for the first leg of Daniel Caesar’s “Son of Spergy” Tour and will continue performing with him until Aug. 2.
The United Center’s 23,500-seat venue was certainly packed. With lines running down the block to get in, I could barely spot an empty seat.
Caesar expressed his gratitude for the crowd, announcing at one point, “I just want to tell you guys that I love my job, and I love my life.”
While his performance of “Son of Spergy” songs was soulful and immersive, to be honest, his latest album isn’t my favorite of his works — I’m more of a “NEVER ENOUGH” girl.
I’m also a chronic setlist checker, so while I was expecting the more popular songs from his 2023 album, such as “Always” and “Superpowers,” I didn’t hold out hope for any more.
But when Caesar started singing “Sometimes it feels like it’s a dream” — lyrics from “Toronto 2014” — I agreed wholeheartedly: It’s not every day an artist plays one of your favorites.
He seemed to share a special appreciation for Chicago, comparing the city to Toronto, his birthplace.
Caesar also performed songs from his 2017 album “Freudian,” including “Blessed” and “We Find Love,” which he performed with its original chords. He explained that he wasn’t entirely happy with the released version.
I was surprised he didn’t play his hit “Best Part (feat. H.E.R.),” though. Whenever he switched from the piano to the guitar, phones went up in anticipation of his most popular song.
Still, his setlist was definitely enough for me. After hearing songs from my favorite album of Caesar’s, I was feeling more than “Blessed.”
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