Holden Jaffe, better known as Del Water Gap, looked upon the 1,200-person crowd as he walked on stage, and the audience was energetic and truly excited to be there at 9:30 Club. Every person in the crowd matched the energy Holden radiated as he sang his heart out and jumped around the stage.
Through flashing lights, Del Water Gap and his band appeared and started playing “Small Town Joan of Arc” — what could be considered a perfect opening song as it set the mood for the entire show: high energy, fun and fast. The room immediately erupted into loud cheers and singing that guaranteed an amazing show.
Holden undoubtedly loves his fans and throughout the show on Jan. 19, there were portions of the show where fans got unique one of a kind experiences. During his song “NFU,” he decided to make it about someone on the barricade. He showed a light clicker that a fan was going to control, handed it to a fan, told them it was their job to control the color of the lights. The lights flashed so many different colors as Holden ran around the stage singing and belting impressive high notes. It’s not a very long song, but he dedicated it to make someone’s night extra special.
Watch the official music video for “NFU” by Del Water Gap on YouTube:
After the opening night of Chasing the Chimera Tour in Raleigh, North Carolina, videos of Del Water Gap using a sewing machine on stage got a lot of attention on social media. That was another fan-centered moment of the show. During “Damn,” he sang the song while embroidering something unique corresponding to the city that night. Then he picked a fan who will get it. There was no exact science to it, but it is a very intentional thing that he did to make a fan’s night extra special.
The second to last song was the craziest because Holden physically jumps into the pit. During “Perfume,” one of his most popular songs, he took time to sing to people along the barricade before he climbed over and started a type of mosh-pit. The crowd went crazy for this song and this performance. No night is ever the same on this tour and the appreciation for the fans shines through in Holden’s performance.
Setlist:
Small Town Joan of Arc
Sorry I Am
Better Than I Know Myself
Please Follow
Doll House
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New Personality
Ghost in the Uniform
NFU
Marigolds
Beach House
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High Tops
Purple Teeth
Eastside Girls
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How to Live
Coping on Unemployment
All We Ever Do is Talk
Damn
Perfume
Ode to a Conversation Stuck in Your Throat
Here are some photos of Del Water Gap performing live at 9:30 Club on Jan. 19, 2026. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Isabella Alvarez.
This is so cool! These pictures are beautiful