The Wiltern (Los Angeles, CA)
04/12/23
On April 12th, Joshua Bassett ended his North American spring tour at The Wiltern in Los Angeles, CA for a sold out crowd. In the hours leading up to the doors opening, fans began lining the sidewalk decked out in costume and homemade merch. By the time doors were about to open, the line wrapped all the way around the entire block back to the doors of The Wiltern! As the audience began to enter the venue, excited fans were told not to run as they rushed to claim their spots amongst the several general admission levels of the venue.
Kicking off the night was a quick three-song performance by Jenna Raine. The crowd listened quietly as she strummed her acoustic guitar. Her setlist included mega hit “see you later (ten years)” as well as a cover of “As It Was” by Harry Styles. Next up was Lindsey Lomis, whose smooth, sultry voice and stunning runs captured the crowd’s attention almost instantly. She performed several songs, including “Simple Love,” “call me when you get home” and her mashup of her original unreleased song, “Don’t Make Me Fall In Love” with SZA’s “Kill Bill.”
Everyone in the crowd was there with a mutual love and support for Joshua Bassett and his music. As the pre-show playlist stopped and the lights began to dim, the excited chatter grew louder and louder in anticipation. Fans immediately began screaming as the first few notes of Joshua’s hit, “Feel Something,” were played. He ran back and forth across the stage, stopping to reach out his hand to fans in the pit. A memorable moment during his song, “Secret,” was when he climbed on top of his piano with his acoustic guitar and jumped off the top whilst still singing. His stage layout included a section that came out further in the middle, allowing him to sing amongst the audience. Before playing the hit song he wrote for the Disney+ Original series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, he talked about his start in the industry and how the series launched his singing and songwriting career.
The singer-songwriter then asked everyone in the pit to clear a path and place for him to play. While strumming the melody to “Common Sense,” on his acoustic guitar, Josh was able to make eye contact and personally connect with several of his fans. Bassett introduced one of his more emotional songs, “Lifeline,” by telling the story of his hospitalization for heart failure and septic shock. After finding his faith and miraculously recovering according to his doctors, he recalled how he was given the strength to finally be able to mend relationships with family members and friends. This song was followed by “All In Due Time,” during which nearly every fan in the venue held a sunflower in the air. During hit song “Different,” Bassett disappeared from the stage and reappeared in the balcony, walking through the aisles and personally greeting fans as he sang. Fans rushed to the edge of their aisles hoping to be lucky enough to hold his hand for a few seconds. He ended his set with an encore, playing his 2022 single, “SHE SAID HE SAID SHE SAID,” while weaving through the crowd from the back of the venue.
Joshua Bassett put on a physically energetic performance while hitting every note effortlessly. His music audience spans across several demographics and generations, as evident through the diverse crowd at the venue. Next time you want to attend a concert that will get you out of your seat dancing, check to see if Josh has a show in your area!
