Concert Reviews

The Texas-raised neo-soul singer gave Boston a performance that was both intimate and jubilant.

Leon Bridges with Hermanos Gutiérrez at Roadrunner, Nov. 3, 2024

While far from “a country town down in Texas,” Leon Bridges still brought his North Texas charm to Boston on Sunday night.

Gracing the Roadrunner stage in his distinctive smooth, southern fashion, Leon Bridges left fans dancing, crying, and cheering during the set.

The neo-soul artist performed tracks from his latest album “Leon” and other hit songs at Sunday night’s packed house of adoring fans. Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, and growing up in Fort Worth, Texas, his fourth studio album is deeply rooted in nostalgia. From the places he grew up to the lost loves that shaped him, Bridges combines sentimental elements of life with his signature retro sound, often reminiscent of ’60s R&B with a hint of country thrown in.

“You know what else I love? Boston, I love you so much,” he told the cheering crowd during his performance of “That’s What I Love” off of the new album.

And apparently Boston loves you back, Leon Bridges. 

With a full house, excited fans swayed to upbeat songs off the album like “Panther City” – a famed nickname for Fort Worth – and “Peaceful Place,” both odes to the points in his life that shaped him into the man and artist he is today.

Amidst the groovy beats and dancing crowd from the pit to the rafters, fans were also in for a tear-jerking rendition of “River,” one of his most popular songs off of his debut studio album, “Coming Home.”

A common symbol of redemption in gospel music, “River” offers deeply personal insight into a period of creative and personal drought for Bridges. And here, almost 10 years later, the song written during a time of struggle still resonates so deeply that you could hear sniffling fans throughout the crowd.

After ending on a high note with “Peaceful Place,” Bridges said goodbye to the crowd. But that was not all that he had in store.

Shortly after going out-of-sight on stage, he came back for the encore with a stripped version of “Lisa Sawyer,” a tribute to his mother who grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Just him and an acoustic guitar on the empty stage, the performance was deeply intimate: a quiet crowd intently listening to this sentimental love letter written about the artist’s mom.

To end the concert, Bridges and band played “Beyond,” an upbeat love song about what it feels like to have potentially found “the one.” Couples from the front of the pit to the back danced together as the concert came to a close.

Between interacting with the crowd and playing beloved favorites from 2015 to now, Bridges is an engaging performer. Staying true to his retro sound, he artfully fuses pop with both western flavor and a Motown-esque flare, making him anything but just another Southern artist. 

Bridges will perform again Monday night at Roadrunner, again with opening act Hermanos Gutiérrez, a fully instrumental Ecuadorian-Swiss brother duo. Forming around the same time that Bridges signed with Columbia Records, the pair have a similar western-fusion flare to their music that had the crowd swaying to their soulful beats.  

“Thank you so much for having me tonight,” said Bridges with a peace sign before heading off stage.

Setlist for Leon Bridges at Roadrunner, Nov. 3, 2024

• When a Man Cries
• Panther City
• Better Man
• Laredo
• Coming Home
• That’s What I Love
• Never Satisfied
• Mariella
• Steam
• Ain’t Got Nothing On You
• You Don’t Know
• Bad Bas News
• If It Feels Good
• Can’t Have It All
• God Loves Everyone
• River
• Peaceful Place

ENCORE:

• Lisa Sawyer
• Beyond

Nia Harmon

Community Co-op

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Nia Harmon is a community co-op for  Boston.com and a journalism student at Emerson College. She is a journalism major with a minor in media studies at Emerson College. She is a native of Dallas, Texas.

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