I kicked off my Sunday night waiting in line at The Basement East anticipating the start of what I knew would be an unforgettable night. Clinton Kane is the first musician I’ve seen at the East Nashville venue, and his performance that night made me realize what I’ve been missing out on.
The concert was a part of Kane’s 4350 Live tour, following the release of his album, “4350 S Halupei Way,” the name of a Las Vegas address that holds meaning to him. The album is his first since leaving his label, marking the start of Kane’s independent music journey.
The doors of Basement East opened at 7 p.m. CST, and by then, there was a steadily growing line of concertgoers. Once I got inside the venue, I immediately noticed how different all the people there were, with ages ranging from preteens to adults. The dim room was humming with lively chatter and laughter as we waited for the night to begin.
The stage was set with red lighting that grabbed my attention and contrasted the darkness throughout the rest of the venue. Fog was beginning to build up in the corner and spread to the rest of the platform, adding to the moody ambiance in the room. The spot where the Australia-raised singer-songwriter would soon perform was decorated with three guitars, a piano and a mic stand.
Julian Ray took the stage at 8 p.m. CST, commanding the attention of everyone in the room. He started off by letting the audience know that if they love sad music, they will definitely enjoy his songs. Obviously, the crowd responded with whoops and cheers in return.
I would describe Ray’s music as pop punk ballads with heart-wrenching lyrics. He sang every song with extreme intensity, and I could tell how much the words he was singing meant to him. The singer was stomping his feet to the beat of his beloved song “downtown calgary,”as the crowd clapped along. Ray ended the night with plenty of thanks and announced that Nashville has been his favorite city and crowd of the tour so far, and I felt a thrill at being a part of that.
Then, it was time to wait. The buzzing in the room was getting louder and louder as we anticipated the main event. The venue was filled with people enjoying drinks, swaying along to the moody music playing on the speakers and whispering in anticipation about which songs they hoped Kane would play.
At 9 p.m. CST, all the lights in the venue, even the ones on the stage, were completely dimmed. The crowd was left in a heavy blanket of darkness that only caused more excitement to rush through my veins. There were footsteps, then a few music notes began to play, and finally, a purple light on stage grew to reveal Clinton Kane sitting at his piano. I immediately spotted two starry patches on his face. The crowd, though silent to fully appreciate the tune Kane started playing, was brought to life.
Clinton Kane’s first song of the night, “do i even know me,” set the mood perfectly. The lyrics were raw and unfiltered; the piano was strong and imposing; and Kane’s voice was captivating. His ability to hit the high notes and then immediately go low was shockingly good. There is no denying it, Clinton Kane can sing.
Of course, Kane played his hit song “CHICKEN TENDIES” next. The track boasts over 200 million streams on Spotify, has been viral on TikTok and is the only work by Kane that I knew beforehand. The veins in his neck were bulging as he bellowed out his famous lyrics, with the chorus hitting even harder in person. Kane stylistically changed the key of certain notes and added riffs to the song that once again showcased his incredible range.
As his set progressed, Clinton Kane contrasted the grittiness of his voice with the smoothness of his guitar and silky lyrics. The entire performance felt like I was a part of an intimate conversation between friends. The song “14” stood out to me as a coming-of-age story where Kane describes himself at 14 and then at 19. As he belted out the lyrics to “DANCING ALL ALONE” with increasing might, fans started jumping up and down and singing along. Kane closed his eyes as he belted the last line, feeling every word he was singing.
At one point, Kane’s guitar stopped working, and he called on “Zachary” to come fix it. Zachary quickly climbed on stage and took the guitar away to tune it. This was met with shouts from the crowd and praise for Zachary. It was clear from the faces in the audience that everyone was having an amazing time.
Near the end of his set, Clinton Kane shifted to a more moody, solemn performance. Fans at the front of the stage were visibly weeping, and I saw more than a few people around me with tears rolling down their cheeks as they soaked in their last few lyrics of the night.
Kane announced that he would be playing his last song of the night and became reminiscent about the last time he played in Nashville four years ago. Then, he turned it over to a man in the crowd who had “something to say.”
Before I even realized what was happening, a circle began to form near the front of the stage. A man and woman holding hands stepped into the center, illuminated by glowing blue lights, as the man professed his love for her. Finally, he dropped to one knee. The crowd gasped, then erupted into squeals and cheers as the woman shouted, “Yes!” Everyone in the room began clapping, admiring the newly engaged couple with tears in their eyes and the biggest smiles on their faces.
As Clinton Kane closed the night with a sentimental love ballad, the couple slow danced, holding each other tightly until the lights dimmed and the stage was empty. I knew then that I was living a moment I would never forget.
