By Thomas Zhong, Courier Co-Editor-in-Chief
Garrett Charles Nash, known as Gnash, is a recent breakout singer and songwriter. Before entering the spotlight with his hit single “i hate u, i love u,” he gained recognition through his three EP’s, “u” in March 2015, “me” in December 2015, and “us” in March 2016.
Much of his success was brought by his lead single “i hate u, i love u,” which peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was written by the featuring artist Olivia O’Brien. However, he has a long history of expressing his emotions through music. DJing since 13, Gnash has never been afraid to follow his philosophy of “documenting the feelings (he has) in (his) heart in (his) art.” In his self-written bio, he reveals that he was “raised that it’s okay to have feelings,” and ultimately he wants to reach to his fans through his music, to ensure them that “they are not alone.”
As he finished his “The U, Me & Us Tour” in North America and Europe, he kicks off his “Sleepover” tour in SF Regency Ballroom.
The show is consisted of a variety of opening acts, ranging from famous Youtuber MAX, to Brooklyn-based DJ Sweater Beats. Some of the opening artists are eccentric and energized, while the others slow and emotional. As the second-to-last opening artist MAX stepped on the stages and projected his energy to the whole audience, the crowd went wild. With Sweater Beats further stirred the energy on the floor, opening acts officially ended and the staff started setting up the stage.
Just as the crowd grew more and more weary from standing for more than two hours since the first opening act, the lights on stage were turned on. Now dimly lit, the bedroom-like stage was covered with a dreamy blue shade that gave off a nostalgic and familiar feeling of childhood, of innocence. And as crowd regained its momentum and waited with excitement, Gnash came out of the tent that was made of white bedsheets. The crowd exploded with screams.
Gnash slowly worked through his setlist, often actively engaging with the audience during performances and creating an inclusive environment for everyone. Between performances, he also shared his own thoughts and behind-the-scene experiences when he wrote the songs. He also invited back the opening artists to join him in songs, creating small highlights throughout the main act. And though the Regency Ballroom was small, it was filled with passionate fans who belted out all the lyrics and used their phones as flashlights. Gnash, standing in front of a sea of sounds and lights, ended the show with “i hate u, i love u.”
After the show, all the fans had the opportunity to meet with all the musicians involved in the production, from Gnash himself to the opening artists.
Overall, the show felt inclusive and sincere, from a childhood bedroom setting, to the often and sincere audience engagements. As Gnash has said it himself, he “(tackles) balancing emotional issues everyone faces daily,” and he is not afraid to show that he cares to connect. In a digital era that pushes everyone away from each other, Gnash may just be producing the music you need to connect to, the music that is simple, catchy,, self-produced, emotionally raw, and intimate.
