Disappointed
by Raul on 10/28/24Kalamazoo State Theatre - KalamazooRating: 2 out of 5Did not realize I was going to See Dr Phil Payed for a concert and ended up with therapy session Did not know this was coming

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In ways both large and small, Andy Grammer is thinking a lot about how to speak his own truth. The concept of honesty—what it means and how to attain it—offers both inspiration and challenge to one of the most successful pop artists to emerge in recent years.
“I’m continually trying to broaden the spectrum of which colors I can paint with,” says Grammer. “And I think being as honest as possible lets you use contrast—pushing boundaries and being self-deprecating allows you to also go for the sweeter things.”
“As someone who likes to write happy, positive songs, I know they can come across too sweet,” he continues. “It’s way easier to write sad songs—you play minor chords and it’s instantly cooler. It takes a lot of effort to make something happy not sound cheesy, but I feel like that’s my life’s work. And right now, in the world, we need love in all forms.”
That spirit certainly informs Grammer’s "Give Love," featuring LunchMoney Lewis, from his upcoming third album, which is set for release in late 2017. "Give Love" follows the success of his platinum hit “Fresh Eyes,” which has racked up over 250 million total streams and became his sixth single certified gold or better.
“There’s a balance between organic and pop sounds,” he says, “I’ve created my own lane where I don't feel constrained to just serve up shiny, super-produced pop tracks." Even without the aid of a specific genre to categorize himself, Grammer’s music was an immediate sensation, as he became the first male pop star in a decade to reach the Top 10 at Adult Pop Radio with "Keep Your Head Up" and "Fine By Me," from his 2011 self-titled debut. His second album, Magazines or Novels, featured the triple-platinum smash "Honey, I'm Good," which was one of the best-selling songs of 2015, and the certified gold anthem "Good to be Alive (Hallelujah)."
Grammer claims, though, that he’s not stressed by any big expectations following these supersize hits. “There was way more pressure on the second album—that one almost killed me,” he says. "That felt like, if I didn't get it right on the second album, there might not be a third. But it went well, so there was more freedom this time, which really let me go to different places with the music.”
He points to a song called “Good Parts,” which he’s been performing onstage, as an example of the ways in which he is pushing his writing for the new project. “The idea is that when we share our flaws with each other, that’s what intimacy is—being genuinely vulnerable is how we get closer. So, I’m working on getting my own good parts out, being brave and sharing everything.”
This sense is especially acute for Grammer, who has now welcomed newborn daughter, Louisiana, into his life. “A couple of the tracks definitely speak to how incredible this experience is,” he says. “Everything feels new, you’re re-looking at all the things you’ve seen before. It’s an exciting way of writing a love song—words I thought were becoming boring became interesting again—and it obviously breeds good songs to prioritize things beyond your career.”
Grammer has already written over 100 songs for the record and says he’s “still trying to beat the best we have.” (He points out that "Honey, I'm Good" was the last song he wrote for Magazines or Novels.) He has learned that the struggle and the joy come from digging for those lyrics that express an emotion that is both real and resonant.
“Newton had an "aha moment" when an apple fell on his head which prompted him to suddenly understand exactly what gravity is. He took this thing that we were all dealing with everyday, that hadn't been fully understood or explained yet, and he proved it in writing. Everyone who heard about it must have been like "oh my god totally, I'm dealing with gravity aaall the time too! Literally everyday! I think that every great song has an element of this in it. An "aha moment" that allows us to suddenly understand something more clearly or in a different way. A feeling of uncovering some universal truth that we all deal with. It can be sad, happy, trivial, or profound but if a song has this element in it, then I start getting really excited."
“The hardest part for me to get are words that I think are really worth saying," Grammer continues. "I spend 80 percent of my time on that. I know that I'm going to be singing these words on stage over and over again, so that motivates me to make sure that I'm saying things that I really believe in. But once the lyrics are in line, the rest is usually more fun, more loose- then I can focus on the songs production elements and figure out how I can take a song to the next level and follow where the words are telling me to go with it.”
As he continues stacking up hits in a young career, Andy Grammer has learned some things—but not everything—about what it takes to connect with an audience. “I can’t tell you why a song goes huge, but I do know when you’ve uncovered something that’s true,” he says. “We all have emotions and experiences that are true to us, but in the process of getting that into a song it usually crumbles and falls apart. It's kind of like an emotional game of telephone. Once in a while though, an emotion or feeling makes it all the way through the gauntlet and is still totally intact in the form of a song. When that happens, you know it has a chance to go big."
“And when you do create something great,” he adds, “you get to keep playing it, the song continues to give you what you need, it stands up to the test of time and still reaches people. And that’s the goal.”
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Did not realize I was going to See Dr Phil Payed for a concert and ended up with therapy session Did not know this was coming
I went to take my teenage daughter, and knew quite a few of his songs, but nothing about Andy. I went for a concert, but got so much more. I learned about what a kind and giving person Andy Grammer is. I learned the why behind all of his music and was deeply moved. Everyone in the audience laughed, cried, sang, and danced together. He incorporated the audience into the entire show. I felt like Andy played the role of grief counselor, therapist, friend, and motivational speaker on top of singer. I went away from this amazing experience very changed. It was something I needed and didn’t even know it. Highly recommend.
I saw Andy Grammer three years ago and it was an amazing experience. This was a strange mix of barely any music and a whole lot of audience interaction. He had the audience answer some questions on a notecard about people who died that mattered to them and had them share on the mics. It was overall just a bummer. I literally fell asleep twice between songs. Any hint of a good vibe from a happy song (when he did happen to remember to sing) was quickly vanquished by crying audience members sharing stories of loss and sadness. It just was not properly advertised as a spoken word improv session and was pretty expensive for not being the concert I was expecting.
It was great to hear that he finally put out new music and it was wonderful. However I was thinking it was going to be conventional concert with a lot of singing excerpts from all of his albums but there was a lot of talking instead. His messages and stories were touching but I would have preferred more singing.
My friend and I didn’t know what to expect other than some Andy Grammar and music. This concert turned out to be so much more!! It was positivity from the crowd to the concessions staff to the creative director to Andy himself. AMAZING!!
Felt more like a revival than a concert. Really unique experience which felt right in the Kavli theater. Excellent job bringing your music to life. As you intended, we were all connected during that show. Well done!
I attended the meet and greet pre-show experience in Thousand Oaks, CA and it was such a special and intimate experience for the meet and greet, as well as the concert. We really got to know Andy more personally and hear about what’s behind his songs. Made him an even more inspirational artist than he already had been in my book!
We've been to many Andy Grammer concerts, and this one tops them all. The indication, storytelling, raw and honest interactions with fans, the vocals, the simplicity of stage presence, and meaningful and heartfelt lyrics, what a high! Everyone should be so lucky to experience Andy Grammer's authenticity and musical talents.
Andy Grammer always brings a lot of heart to his shows and this one is no exception. In fact, since he is playing without his band (just his guitarist Jeremy Ting) and sharing stories as much as singing, it is even more full of heart. He includes the audience in a way that makes you feel connected. It was a magical evening that left me feeling hopeful.
I love Andy Grammer’s music so I, of course, loved the concert. His stories about losing his mom in his early 20’s were relatable to me since I lost my sister around the same time. The concert was emotional, enlightening and almost like a church service. I wasn’t aware that Andy Grammer does these types of shows. I would’ve loved a few more songs, but I’ll definitely see him again.
If you ever wanted to sit in an intimate setting, listening to heartfelt stories and experiences from one of your favorite artists while also getting a top tier (and stripped way down) musical performance experience, this show is for you. I cried healing tears multiple times in this show. I also was left in awe at the range and beautiful tone of Andy’s voice with all of the usual accompaniment packed away and left for the future traditional concerts. This was a beautifully planned event with thoughtful audience participation and no unnecessary filler. I highly recommend this event for any true Grammer fans.
Andy performed many of his great songs and he put on an amazing show overall. The format was different than a usual show and they announced that at the beginning of the evening, which was great, but the marketing of the show was a little misleading. We had some young kids in our group and with all the interaction and talking about tragedy and loss, they lost interest and we distracting us and others around us. I think it was very meaningful and great what Andy was doing, but it would have been helpful to know the format beforehand.
Andy Grammer is a musical genius! Every piece is a lyrical masterpiece! My husband, 2 children and I had the time of our lives! This show was much different than the last one we attended and we loved it even more! Andy connected to the audience like no other artist ever has before! After 25 shows I have attended this year this one stands out! We can’t wait to see Andy again! Come back to LA/OC soon! We love you!
This show was amazing. Truly unlike any other format I have experienced. This show felt very personal and like Andy Grammer made a genuine connection with the audience. I loved answering the questions on the front end and hearing the stories behind each of his songs.
I absolutely love going to Andy's concerts and now shows. The Greater Than show was so good and I really enjoyed it. Going to see Andy always lifts my mood and I truly enjoy listening to all the music he has come out with.
I loved every minute of Andy Grammer’s show. His music is so uplifting. It is music that makes me so happy. I also love the stories he shares with the audience. He inspires me to be a better person. Please come to Vancouver, BC.
I've seen Andy Grammer 10x. He is my absolute favorite performer. I loved his one man show...but for other people. I appreciated all the time and effort he put into this show to make it what it was. It was creative. However, it was NOT for me. I'm stressed out on a daily basis with work and life and crave the 2 hours of Andy Grammer songs and high energy to forget all that. I thought one man show..intimate would mean more acoustic. It was mostly sad stories and poetry..talking 75% of the show. Really tough to sit through.5 stars because he's amazing.
Have to be honest, have been to many Andy Grammer concerts. Always enjoy his music and energy, but was sorely disappointed this time. Format was like a spiritual revival, not a musical evening. About eight songs were sung, mostly was talking about spiritual experiences, remembering loved ones, honoring loved ones passed, etc. Very sweet tribute to Andy's mother, but not a musical concert out as expected. Did not leave feeling like I had experienced a musical evening out.
I’ve been to an Andy Grammer concert, but wow, this was so unexpected. We cried, laughed, sung along, danced, and then we talked about the experience. It was touching and one of the best concert experiences ever! Thank you.
This is his second concert I have been to and would highly recommend, especially if you need some JOY in your life! I love his energy, message and pure musical talent. Thank you for sharing your gifts with us, Andy!!!