Daniel Caesar – Southside Ballroom in Dallas
Canadian R&B/Soul Artist, Daniel Caesar announced his “Superpowers” Tour back in June. One of the stops on the list was Dallas, TX at Southside Ballroom on Sept 14th. I had the privilege of attending! ORS photographer Jacob Peroyea came with me and took some stunning photos.
Daniel’s opener was Orion Sun. An artist from Philly, Orion Sun as an opener set the tone for the show. With an attendance count of approximately five thousand, it felt like one of those concerts at a super small venue, even though the attendance count was way higher. The voices of people singing along as Orion Sun sang her songs, listening to her live was life-changing. Her vocals strongly complimented the intimate ‘small-venue’ energy that I felt throughout her set.
The concert ran from approximately 7 p.m. to 10:45 p.m. As Orion Sun kept an intimate energy with the crowd, Daniel did the same. The crowd energy was effortlessly beautiful and the vibes cannot be described by words. A white drape shaped like a rectangle encompassing Daniel while he sang. I don’t have a picture of the setlist, but a friend of mine in Austin put all the songs into a playlist and sent it to me. I’m going off of what she had since I know I will miss a few songs if I go with my own recollection.
There are a few artists I’d say that sound great on streaming services like Spotify or Soundcloud, but when you hear them live it sounds better than anything you’ve heard before. Daniel is one of those artists. The energy was amazing, with the crowd knowing most of the songs, it was unfathomable how this concert could be deemed as ‘life-changing’. Hearing songs like CYANIDE, Japanese Denim, Get You, and Violet strongly reminded me of how I became a fan in the first place. The rawness of Daniel’s vocals is effortlessly beautiful, and the lyricism in his songs is so impactful. I truly felt as if I went back in full circle when I heard his voice. It felt reminiscent of the emotions I had felt when I first tuned into Daniel’s music.
Being in a crowd of over five thousand people who had the same love for Daniel as much as I did was ethereal. I remember after the show, I scrolled through my TikTok and I’d see people post about the concert. Seeing Daniel live was life-changing since he’s an artist I’ve enjoyed since I began delving into R&B music. Southside was an intimate show. Orion Sun truly hit the spot and set the tone for what was upcoming, the stellar vocals of Daniel Caesar.
To close off, I wanted to say thank you to ORS for this amazing opportunity. So much love to the people who helped me get into the position I’m in. I also wanted to say if you enjoy Daniel’s music, try and hit up a show! I promise it will be worthwhile, especially with how energetic the crowd is. I still miss this concert even though it’s been almost a week since it happened. The post-concert depression is too real.
Have a great one ORS fam <3
Gabrielle Cadiang | September 21, 2023
Freelance Writer & Radio Show Host