“One of the reasons we’re here tonight is to play you guys some new songs. This one’s called Happy Home,” shouted Sam Harris during Sunday night’s X Ambassadors concert at the House of Blues in Boston. For the record, Happy Home did not disappoint. neither did any of the other new unreleased music.
From everything that was played, I can tell you with certainty that the new album being crafted by X Ambassadors is set to blow everyone out of the water. Happy Home slaps you in the face with killer lyrics, soaring high notes, powerful belting, and foot-tapping beats. It’s incredibly danceable and profound at the same time. A rare find among both modern pop and modern rock.
Admittedly, I was debating on making this article and extended photo gallery when I first entered the House of Blues. Unlike most, I had work the next day and was craving sleep, but after watching Sam command the entire stage I was sold. There was no way I was leaving until the encore. He’s well aware of how to put on a captivating performance, entrancing audience members until the last chord of the final song.
Sam opened the show in a full suit and was left in a tank-top by the end of the third song. Sweat was pouring off his body from running back and forth across the stage. During one song alone he switched from singing, to guitar, to saxophone. Clearly a talented musician, it was hard to pry your eyes away from his electric performance.
However, his brother and bandmate, Casey, is equally talented and gave him a run for his money. Casey is impressive in his own right and an inspiration to many as he’s legally blind. He might be one of the most talented pianists I’ve had the fortune to watch and proves that sight is not necessary to master an instrument and jamming out. This was proven as he improved the intro to unsteady during his brother’s speech in which the song was dedicated to the victims of the Parkland shooting. There was not a single chord out of place or a clunky note that didn’t belong and Casey’s fingers flew across the keyboard. It was truly captivating.
Overall, I’d say the X Ambassador concert experience is well worth the investment. It’s always special to go to a show and come away having listened to unreleased music. This performance has the perfect mix of new material and old classics. The quality of the live vocals and instruments was beyond my expectations and the energy brought to the stage only improved the experience and made leaving the show early impossible. Additionally, from a photographer’s perspective, the lighting of the show was done tastefully. It’s incredibly difficult to shoot concerts that have a heavy focus on blue lighting. Unfortunately, this is a current trend I’ve witnessed throughout shows I’ve shot this year. The X Ambassadors performance included a wide array of lighting from blues, to pinks, to white light. It was refreshing to see such variety in a performance.