By far, the WORST show I've ever attended. Rotten tomatoes to the whole performance. I only regret that I have to give him one star as zero stars isn't an option.
I love Brett Dennen's music: the lyrics are meaningful and his voice is unique. I attended his concert at the Beachland Ballroom in Euclid, OH last winter and loved every second of the concert, but the show I saw at the House of Blues in Cleveland was a totally different story.
Brett's weight loss was the first noticeable difference; if it's an intentional attempt to be more healthy I applaud him. The second noticeable difference was his inability to hit certain notes in his music or to project those notes with his usual bravado. At this point, I was willing to say "he's having an off night--it happens to everyone and I'm willing to cut him a little slack". But then came the weird hand gestures, the uncalculated movements all over the stage where he's practically knocking things over, the awkward conversations with the audience: now I felt uncomfortable. Was he trying to be something he isn't by entertaining instead of singing? Was he drunk or high? Then came the final straw for me, when he's telling the audience "Repeat after me" followed by the weirdest bunch of crap that I've ever seen or heard. I didn't come to hear the audience sing "Ooo, ooo, ooo, ooo", "aah, aah, aah, ahh". Put your shoes on. stay at the microphone, and sing Mr. Dennen. If you're drinking, sober up; if you're getting stoned, go get help; if you're trying to play to the audience more, just sing--that's all that you audience wants from you.
Lousy singing, stage performance remeniscent of junior high school, and just plain bizzare behavior on the part of Mr. Dennen. He's no longer on my "favorites" list and I won't be back to any of his future concerts. I'm so disappointed in him.
On a positive note, his band was right on the money and kept things moving for what must have been a very uncomfortable time for them. Please relay my deepest sympathy to them for having to live through such humiliation.