When I arrived at the entrance to The Blue Room, a nervous excitement flowed through me. I walked down a long hallway until I reached the performance space. When I entered, it was unmistakably blue. The lights weren’t bright, but a deep blue hue filled the space. Although the room was smaller than I envisioned, it created a very intimate atmosphere.
Murmurs filled the crowd about the night’s performer, HOMESHAKE, the musical project of Peter Sagar. He creates music that blends indie pop, R&B and lo-fi, resulting in songs characterized by smooth melodies and laid-back vibes.
The crowd cheered as HOMESHAKE stepped out onto the stage. He opened with “Simple,” a song that created a smooth, relaxed feel. The loud music reverberated throughout the room. It was dominated by complex instrumental layers and featured many guitar solos and percussion, creating a mellow vibe that set the tone for the rest of the night. His lyrics were smooth to the point of being incomprehensible. The second song performed was “Heat,” which followed the same style.
After his first two songs, HOMESHAKE took a break to drag his hand across a set of chimes that created an ominous, resonant tone that captivated the crowd’s attention.
He followed with a few more songs that had a similar vibe as “Simple,” including “Frayed,” “I Don’t Wanna” and “Every Single Thing.” The loud, unique music created an otherworldly experience for the audience that was different from other concerts. Each song was deeply expressive and made me feel more connected to the performance.
“Is everybody still doing okay?” Sagar asked. “This is the best crowd we have played for in Nashville.”
Sagar went on to have a casual and funny conversation with the crowd. He talked about how engaged the audience was and how many more people were at this show compared to his last show in Nashville, making this show far superior to him than the previous one.
“I hope you all live very prosperous and happy lives forever, and I hope none of you ever die,” Sagar said.
This elicited some chuckles throughout the crowd. He was able to connect to the intimate audience through these stories and his casual conversations, creating a more meaningful night for his fans.
As the concert progressed, the mood shifted to more loud rock music, including his songs “Basement” and “CD Wallet,” which featured more substantial lyrical content than the songs performed earlier that night.
Although HOMESHAKE’s music isn’t what I would normally listen to, the experience proved to be profoundly engaging. Entire songs would go by with only a few lyrics, but the sound of the music was always incredibly full, creating a rich, immersive atmosphere that had me engaged in the performance from start to finish.
