Everything Leon Bridges does is deliberate, and it all speaks to you outside of time and place.
The man himself looks timeless, as if he is stepping through eras in a leather jacket and cowboy boots. He sings in a soulful light croon that travels equally well as something contemporary or vintage. And in his recent sold-out show at The Anthem, Leon presented his music on a set that seemed to suggest a desert landscape but also a welcoming place as if it sprang from our collective imaginations or places through which we hazily remember traveling.
On Nov. 8, Leon Bridges returned to The Anthem for a sold-out performance spotlighting Leon, his fourth studio album, released in October by Columbia Records. And he did so under an ingenious and unobtrusive light scheme that made us feel as if we were on a voyage through Leon’s emotional landscape.
Leon Bridges opened the show with opened with “When a Man Cries” and “Panther City” from the new album. As others have noted, Leon is laden with nostalgia and Leon’s recollections of his Texas hometown during certain times. At The Anthem, “Panther City” captured nostalgia perfectly and gently. Those impressive lights reinforced the warmth of the song with the sensation of a comfortable sun.
The full house was pleasantly vibing to Leon’s amiable walk down memory lane.
Watch the official lyric video for “Panther City” by Leon Bridges on YouTube:
While the crowd was particularly chill for its large size, people stirred in reaction to specific moments. A ripple of excitement shot through the crowd when Leon introduced “Coming Home,” first song he ever wrote. While many people had been polite or judicious in the use of their phones to capture video, many arms shot up to record the moments of Leon performing “Coming Home.”
Fans also were very pleased that Leon chose to perform a pair of popular tunes from his collaborations with psychedelic trio Khruangbin — “Mariella” and “Texas Sun” — the first from Texas Moon (2022) EP and the second from the EP of the same name (2020). The clever lights again set the mood as the 16 lamps onstage and the 11 overhead lights were dark at the beginning of “Texas Sun.” By the Leon reached the chorus, the lights painted the stage with incandescent yellows and oranges, accentuating Leon’s easy grooves.
The audience gave another big reaction to “River” also from Coming Home (2015). The gentle tune clearly struck a note with many listeners, who maintained a laser-focus on Leon and his seven touring bandmates throughout the number.
Watch the official music video for “River” by Leon Bridges on YouTube:
Leon closed the show with “Smooth Sailin'” from Coming Home, an album that received a lot of love during the show. He returned to rapturous applause for a two-song encore: “Lisa Sawyer” from Coming Home and “Beyond” from Good Thing (2018). Leon introduced “Lisa Sawyer” as an ode to his mother, and you could truly feel the love from the stage and the floor in response to the sentiment. Leon then swept everyone up in the powerful lovesong of “Beyond.”
This show was my first time seeing Leon Bridges live, and it was easy to be swept away by his powerful voice and graceful presence. The Leon Tour is an experience sure to put you at ease and remind you of the good things in life. It was easy to understand how Leon vaulted to The Anthem after first appearing at DC’s Lincoln Theatre in such a short time!
Here are some photos of Leon Bridges performing at The Anthem on Nov. 8, 2024. All pictures by Mickey McCarter.
