I've been to 5 or 6 Ian Axel shows, and every time the show seems to get better. People were streaming into the Mercury Lounge up to the last possible minute, and when Ian took the stage with his (full) band, the excitement was palpable. Ian's shows are always a good time, mostly because he never takes himself too seriously. The irony there is that he's exponentially better than many other musicians I've seen who can't seem to have any fun for fear of not being taken seriously.
He has surrounded himself with equally talented musicians for his band, including his best friend/manager/co-songwriter Chad Vaccarino, who also happens to sing with him on several songs.
Ian did a few new songs from his upcoming re-release of his album, This is the New Year, but he mostly stuck to the songs that everyone knows. And yes, everyone knows them. Ian Axel's shows are less concert and more sing-along. I know this because I sing along to every single song. He has made himself quite a following of loyal fans, simply by virtue of his being SO talented and so nice. If he is ever in your area, do yourself a favor and see Ian's show. His music is guaranteed to have you dancing around and laughing within minutes.