Thursday night at The Basement East showcased a triad of talent, theatrics and sing-alongs. From Clark Beckham, an American Idol sensation, to Jack Avery, a former member of Why Don’t We, to the fabulous headliner and vocalist Stanaj, the audience was in for a treat.
Beckham introduced himself as a Nashville native, prompting applause from the audience. Beckham entranced the room with his angelic voice and an acoustic guitar. His smooth vocal runs and gentle guitar strums warranted nods of approval and frequent hollers from the crowd. Toward the end of his set, Beckham called on the singers in the room, encouraging a call-and-response game for the song “Angel in LA,” which he described as “music personified in a woman.” He closed his set with a touching cover of Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together.”
The empty stage then illuminated to the beat of riveting drums, introducing the Why Don’t We song “Falling” and welcoming Avery to the stage. Fans erupted in screams as he appeared, singing every word back to him. Avery prefaced his next song and most recent single, “Take the Wheel,” with a story about recent struggles, including a lawsuit involving his former band, and thanked his girlfriend for supporting him throughout the experience. The interactive storytelling did not end there; he received a water bottle from his mother, seated on the left, and shared a special song he wrote dedicated to her, along with a warning of teary eyes. However, the energy quickly shifted with an unreleased song that sent vibrations through the room with captivating bass and chilling background vocals, as well as “Come to Brazil,” during which he danced and pointed to ex-bandmate Jonah Marais in the crowd. Overall, Avery orchestrated a special, intimate energy for the night, welcoming interactive moments and casual commentary.
Finally, the man of the hour graced the stage around 9 p.m. CST. He appeared on stage to sudden drums that launched the set with crazy energy and unmatched high notes. Albert Stanaj, known by the stage name Stanaj, certainly gained at least one fan today: me. Despite it being his first headlining tour, his stage presence was impeccable, not to mention his jaw-dropping vocals. Overall, he drove home two recurring themes: first, he self-proclaims to be incredibly “dramatic,” and second, he couldn’t be more grateful to every audience member and supporter. His authenticity and gratitude felt so refreshing as he related stories of sitting in coffee shops responding to each and every fan and attempting to be just as engaged in their lives as they are in his.
Stanaj shared that he cannot help but write love songs as he transitioned into a more sentimental and slower portion of the set. His commentary was direct and personal, with remarks such as, “If you have someone here tonight, grab them and hold them tight,” and “I’m so dramatic. I feel like Beyoncé.” He captivated the audience with his rendition of “Ain’t Love Strange,” a song he previously performed on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”
Throughout the night, Stanaj made sure to do “temperature checks” with the room to evaluate everyone’s energy; in one of these exchanges, he also made sure to graciously thank and commend Beckham and Avery for their opening performances and his drummer Quasi and guitarist Chuck. At one point, Stanaj also invited a dear friend named Tommee Profitt from the audience to play the keyboard to the song “Noel (He Is Born).” Although there was no choir, the audience did not hesitate to jump in with the backup harmonies.
Next was arguably the most special part of the night. Stanaj introduced what he called one of his favorite songs ever written, a song he did not write himself, but one he wished he had: Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me.” He reflected on a time when he was performing anywhere he could, singing at karaoke bars and open mics, sometimes playing up to five sets a night, and nearly giving up altogether. As he found himself becoming consumed by the business side of music, a friend named Mark reminded him why he started in the first place: for the love of music.
Shortly after performing it, Stanaj shared that he found himself singing it again just a week later at Drake’s house, as his career suddenly accelerated faster than he could process. To stay grounded, he promised himself he would perform “I Can’t Make You Love Me” at every show. He then delivered an emotional rendition of Bonnie Raitt’s classic, leaving the room in complete silence.
Toward the end of the set, Stanaj ramped the spirits back up with a tribute to his culture; he sang a popular Albanian song that got people on their feet and dancing! Finally, he ended with an upbeat unreleased single, “Loaded Gun.”
What started as a concert at The Basement East quickly turned into an intimate, shared night of music; artists acted as audience members supporting their peers and audience members acted as part of the encore too many times to count. All three performers brought their own voices, stories and unique styles to the stage, but it was the shared vulnerability throughout the night that made the show unforgettable. At The Basement East, Stanaj truly left his heart on his sleeve and invited everyone in the room to do the same.
