In the front row, a couple slow-danced to “This Year’s Love� with their arms wrapped tightly around each other, oblivious to their fellow concertgoers and David Gray, who was softly playing the piano onstage. It was a romantic feel-good moment that fittingly describes the entire evening at Gray’s show at the Paramount Theatre in Oakland. Gray wowed the audience with his heartfelt songs, giving a solid performance and showing him to be a master both at entertaining a crowd and putting on a show.
Opening was Aqualung, a band with rather bland tunes but gorgeous harmonies, who exhibited the stage confidence of a main act. They ended their set with the sugary pop of radio hit “Brighter than Sunshine,� at which point the entire audience seemed to collectively say “Oh yeah...that band.�
Given the fact that this show had been postponed from last October, this sold-out concert was highly anticipated. David Gray came onstage, threw red glitter into the air against the blue lighting to a beautiful effect, and launched into a fantastic set that included selections from his last three albums: White Ladder, A New Day at Midnight, and his latest, Life in Slow Motion. Newer songs like the catchy “Hospital Food� had the crowd bouncing up and down, while “Ain’t No Love� showed a darker side to Gray. Intent on pleasing the crowd, he wasn’t afraid to give them exactly what they wanted, happily playing more well-known hits like “Please Forgive Me,� which got everyone out of their seats and “Babylon,� to which everyone sang along. A highlight of the evening was his stunning rendition of “Silver Lining,� which featured an expressive cello solo.
Gray has a powerful presence onstage, and this excitement combined with a soaring voice and impressive songs to contribute to the enthusiasm of the night. Constantly switching back and forth between the piano and guitar, he was quite animated onstage, dancing and at one point, falling to the floor during a guitar solo. It was an evening filled with laughter, romantic musings, and incredible music that did not disappoint.
