Alec Benjamin took over the House of Blues San Diego in California last Tuesday night with some help from Alexander 23. Originally scheduled for the smaller Voodoo Room, the concert was bumped up to the 1,000 capacity main hall of House of Blues San Diego, and for good reason. Alec managed to sell every single ticket. It wasn’t just this show; the entirety of Alec Benjamin’s headlining Outrunning Karma Tour sold out.
In San Diego, the line of fans wrapped around the building well before the show was set to begin. Concertgoers filed into the venue as excitement filled the room. Alexander 23 started off the night and charmed the crowd with his one-man show. This support slot marked his first tour as a solo artist under the moniker he debuted earlier this year. With only two songs officially released, fans acted as though they’ve known him forever by shouting out affirmations of love and calling him their best friend. He commanded the stage as he played his tracks “Dirty AF1s” and “When I Die,” an Alicia Keys cover, and a few new songs. When he mentioned that he had a feeling he’d be back very soon, he was met with enthusiastic screams. At the end of his set, Alexander jumped into the crowd for a group photo then proceeded to take photos with anyone who wanted one before making his way to meet more fans in his merch area.
Then it came time for the main act, Alec Benjamin. The show almost didn’t happen since Alec had woken up with no voice, but he was able to recover and powered through the night, with some help from an eager crowd. Though his voice may not have been in peak condition, it was hard to tell as he smoothly sung his way through tracks off of his debut album, Narrated For You.
Ever the narrator, Alec often spent time sharing anecdotes in between songs. He revealed that San Diego has a special place in his heart, and this concert in particular was important to play. It marked a full circle moment. Three years prior he was outside of the exact same venue performing some of the exact same songs for free after he was dropped from his previous label. Luckily for Alec, his music career under Atlantic Records is seeing much better days. Ahead of his sold-out tour, his single “Let Me Down Slowly” was certified gold in February.
“It’s one thing to have a crowd sing back the words I wrote. It’s another thing to come to a venue that I used to sing outside of. Plus, my mom and dad are here, and that’s pretty cool.”
Alec was always finding ways to interact and connect with the crowd throughout his set. During “I Built A Friend,” he hopped down to the barricade to join the audience for a sing-along. Fans showered him with love and also gifts in the forms of a painting and a stuffed animal named Steve. The evening was lighthearted and conversational, a pleasant escape from whatever currently troubled concertgoers. Alec continued the night by introducing “Death of a Hero” as one of his favorite songs ever and also prepped the crowd for one of the vocally tougher parts of “Water Fountain” that he wanted them to sing extremely loud.
The sold-out crowd had no problem singing along. All it took was a stretch of a mic-wielding arm for the crowd to scream out the words. He had the adoring audience wrapped up in every lyric he sang. When Alec and his backing band momentarily left the stage after what he said was his last song, the crowd shouted “Encore!” and erupted into screams when he returned to the stage. He finished the night with “Let Me Down Slowly” and a crowd full of loving fans. Though Alec Benjamin may have never imagined singing his songs to a room full of a thousand people, he shouldn’t be surprised when the venues grow again the next time he tours.
If you missed out on the Outrunning Karma Tour, you can find both Alec Benjamin and Alexander 23 at Lollapalooza in Chicago this summer. If you’re a San Diego fan, Alec Benjamin will return when he plays KAABOO Del Mar this September.
If you’re in Europe / UK, you can catch Alec Benjamin on his newly announced (and first ever!) world tour. Find tickets for the Caught in the Middle World Tour: alecbenjamin.com/tour
Connect with the artists —
Alec Benjamin: Twitter // Instagram // Facebook // Website
Alexander 23: Twitter // Instagram // Facebook // Website
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