This past month, Newport Music Hall has honed in on numerous great artists. Standing out among the crowd, Gus Dapperton took the stage Monday, Sept. 18, 2023, to bring energy and authenticity to the High Street venue in the midst of his “Henge” US Tour. The tour follows the release of his latest album of the same name, “Henge,” in July of this year. The album follows indie and alternative sounds that resonate with music lovers of various tastes, and Dapperton’s performance at Newport Music Hall only goes to show that the indie music community is alive and well in Columbus. Prior to his headlining tour, Dapperton also opened for Hippo Campus on numerous nights of their “Wasteland” tour, including their Columbus show.
Through a grand entrance where each member joined the stage one by one, eliciting cheers from the audience for each member, the anticipation of the crowd only grew for Dapperton’s ultimate entrance to the stage. Wearing a headscarf and glasses with a styled charcoal suit, it was an entrance that held up to expectations, as Dapperton is known for his unique style. In fact, many fans even dressed themselves up to fit his style, with some even wearing clothes with a dark modern twist. If not dressed in theme, most people arrived wearing “Henge” merch or bought it to wear if they didn’t already have it.
The setlist held up strongly with Dapperton playing a mix of his albums “Henge” and “Orca,” as well as spanning a few others. Some of the songs brought high energy that carried through the crowd, like “Gum, Toe and Sole ” from the EP “Yellow and Such,” while others struck a more impactful emotional chord, such as “Medicine” from the album “Orca.” Playing into these more unifying striking moments, the lighting of the show flickered in and out to place emphasis on what to watch as the whole audience sang along. For fans looking for a good mix of music and a great vocal and instrumental performance, the Newport Music Hall show held up to the anticipation.
In the middle of the show, Dapperton also played a mystery song, a song picked from a hat filled with fan requests, bringing even more engagement to the crowd. Shortly after, bandmate and performer Amadelle performed an exciting cover of “Don’t Trust Me” by musical group 3OH!3. The band also delivered energy with their interaction with each other, doing choreographed and synchronized dances a few times throughout the show.
Overall, the Gus Dapperton show at Newport Music Hall brought lots of energy to the Columbus music scene. Dapperton will be on his US tour through December of this year for music lovers across the country to see.