Fonda Theatre (Los Angeles, CA)
06/23/23
Pop singer-songwriter Benson Boone stopped by the Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles, California for the second to last night of his “Pulse” tour. Fans of all ages lined Hollywood Boulevard in homemade merch holding handwritten signs, anxiously awaiting entrance into the venue and a chance to hear Boone sing for themselves. Boone, who originally gained a pretty big following after posting TikTok back in 2021, was signed to Night Street Records under Warner Records by lead singer of Imagine Dragons, Dan Reynolds. This May, Benson Boone released his highly anticipated sophomore E.P., Pulse, following his debut E.P. release in Summer 2022.
The 21-year-old sang his way through a 15-song set for a room filled with screaming fans. To start off the night, Boone’s band gathered onstage, followed by Boone completing a full backflip with ease, before greeting fans as the first few notes from his song, “Sugar Sweet,” off his recent E.P., Pulse, began. Boone was accompanied onstage by Chris Potter on keyboard, Eric Downs on drums, and Sophie Giuliani on guitar. Fans screamed in delight as Benson’s sultry voice danced as he went above and beyond his original vocals. During the next couple of songs, “ROOM FOR 2” and “NIGHTS LIKE THESE,” Boone hit every falsetto note effortlessly as he jumped off the stage and climbed onto the barricade to hold hands with his fans. While his band was set at the back of the stage, there were several moments where guitarist Sophie Giuliani emerged and played at the edge of the stage during her solos.
After the first few songs, it became obvious how vocally talented Benson Boone truly is. He prefaced “Little Runaway” as a song he wrote for his little sister who struggles with her mental health. He pointed to her on the balcony and made eye contact for a majority of the song. While introducing his band, he did an impromptu, short cover of “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift, which gained a very loud and excited reaction from the crowd. Boone also invited another one of his sisters, Claire, onstage to sing an unreleased song called “To Love Someone.” Their voices magically blended together in harmony and he even gave his sister a chance to sing a verse on her own for the sold-out crowd.
One of the most memorable moments of the night was when Boone began singing his hit song, “In the Stars,” which he wrote about his grandmother passing away. Every person in attendance quieted down in respect and raised the lights on their phones, creating a starry night for the singer who was looking out into the crowd. Towards the end of the song, he walked over to the piano and began to play the instrumental, while the crowd joined in by singing along.
If you ever want to see an artist in concert with incredible vocals and who genuinely loves what he is doing, I highly recommend adding Benson Boone to your list!
