Written and Photographed by : Liv Foltiny
Following a frustrating parking situation, I arrived at The Foundry at 8:24 p.m., knowing that I likely missed Cloe Wilder, the first artist of the evening. While this unfortunately proved to be the case, I later learned I would have missed her performance regardless of the parking kerfuffle. This was due to a discrepancy between the showtime listed on the venue’s website (8 p.m.) and the time actually took the stage (7:30 p.m.).
As I entered the room, I was greeted by an enormous crowd; the place was packed, and I had to carefully wriggle my way across to get to the photo pit entrance. On stage, dressed head to toe in black with her hair fashioned in an elegant braid, stood Stacey Ryan. Positioned behind her keyboard in high heels, Stacey appeared tiny, but her voice was anything but small. Possessing strength and clarity, Stacey’s vocals not only carried throughout the space but also resembled Amy Winehouse’s singing at times. Switching between refined and raw tones virtually effortlessly, Stacey undeniably demonstrated command over her voice. Even though this was a notable aspect of her performance, it wasn’t the only facet of her set that stood out.
A few times during her set, Stacey stopped to speak to the audience directly. The most prominent of these moments was when she explained how her record label unexpectedly dropped her last year, making her an independent artist. Rather than allowing this predicament to sour her, Stacey evidently used it to motivate herself. From having a multitude of unreleased songs (several of which she included in her set) to emphasizing the importance of “freeing yourself from people dragging you down,” Stacey exuded an inspiring optimism that was just as prevalent offstage as it was during her set.
Following her final song, Stacey thanked everyone for coming, wished them an “awesome night,” and told them that she loved them. This sentiment wasn’t solely directed to concertgoers, though; it extended to staff as well and was on full display when Stacey smiled at and excitedly high-fived a member of the stage crew on her way out. As the crowd waited, stagehands swiftly got to work setting the scene. A large fabric tarp was cast aside to reveal an ornate white and gold throne flanked by LED lights and a small table bearing a candelabra and chalice. With that, the stage was ready for the night’s headliner — Spencer Sutherland.
Among flashing lights, Jordan Millisor (guitarist) and Jeffrey Martin (drummer) walked through the side doors and quickly took their places onstage, awaiting their frontman’s entrance. Soon after, Spencer ran onto the stage, eliciting thunderous cheers from attending fans. Dressed in a ruffled shirt, shoulder-padded jacket, bell-bottom pants, and shimmering boots, Spencer Sutherland undoubtedly stood out and, in conjunction with his fantastic stage presence and Shakespearean references, embodied a fusion of ’80s rock ‘n’ roll and antique theatricalism.
Performing for more than an hour, Spencer, Jordan, and Jeffrey played around 20 songs, many of which were from Spencer’s newest album, The Drama. While some of the set’s dynamism irrefutably stemmed from Jordan and Jeffrey, a majority of it emanated from Spencer, who proved why he deserved a headlining tour. Utilizing the whole stage, Spencer let loose as he fervently danced, kicked, and strutted across its surface, only pausing occasionally to speak with the crowd or take a sip of water. That said, attendees witnessed how Spencer didn’t limit himself to just the stage; this was utterly apparent when, upon receiving auditory approval, he made his way into the middle of the crowd, where he sang an original of his in its entirety.
Exhibiting his mastery of crowd interaction, Spencer not only conducted and shared his mic with the people singing along but also offered them a genuine glimpse of himself through personal anecdotes. When discussing his music career, Spencer explained that he initially recorded and posted covers of popular songs, stating, “If there was a song on the charts, I was covering it.” However, it wasn’t until he decided to focus on “singing what [he] liked” that his career began to gain traction. In other words, Spencer embracing his individuality allowed him to flourish in the music industry. Concluding his story, Spencer comfortingly encouraged everyone to be “[their] authentic selves, and everything will work out eventually.”
By the end of the night, there was no denying the impact Spencer Sutherland had on the venue and its guests. Through his incredible showmanship and ability to connect with others, Spencer commanded the crowd’s attention and, ultimately, made The Foundry a part of his kingdom, where forced conformity is banished while self-acceptance and self-expression are rightfully celebrated. Welcome to Spencer Sutherland’s realm. Welcome to The Drama.
