“The Troubadour, Televised & Televised” Stephen Sanchez wrapped up his biggest tour yet at the end of October entitled The Connie Co Show Tour. He performed 39 concerts across the United States and Japan beginning in Columbus, Ohio and ending in Orlando, Florida. Throughout his tour, thousands of fans were able to experience an unforgettable night of romance and nostalgia, one that I will certainly never forget!
Background
Stephen Sanchez is a 21-year-old singer-songwriter whose single “Lady by the Sea” began his singing career in 2020 (Universal Music Publishing Group). The next year, his single “Until I Found You” reached the Billboard Top 100 and reached over a billion plays across music platforms (Billboard). This song was pivotal in his career, drawing in millions of monthly listeners to his music. Since then, he has released two EPs entitled “Easy on My Eyes” and “What Was, Not Now,” and his most recent album entitled “Angel Face.” “Angel Face”is a thirteen-track album including his most popular single “Until I Found You” and twelve other tracks that capture his retro-pop sound. Additionally, he has also recorded tracks with artists such as Laufey, Em Beihold and Ashe (Spotify).
His style is a tribute to the classic 1950s and 1960s musical sound. Stephen Sanchez says that he has gained inspiration for his music from artists including Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole (Grammy Awards). Regarding his music, Sanchez has said “I want people to feel like they are part of the counterculture of 1964 when they listen to this new era of music. A counterculture that focused on love–I want to ingrain that theme of love into today’s world–a world that doesn’t have enough classic romance.” Ultimately, in every song and performance, Sanchez strives to bring a message of love and romance to his audiences.
Tour
With thirty-nine stops on Stephen Sanchez’s tour, I attended the October 27th date at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida. I’ve seen a handful of artists’ concerts in the past but never have I felt so transported into a performance experiencing the romance of the songs yet still having so much fun as I did at this concert.
Walking into the venue, the stage was decorated with Halloween decorations and instruments across an elevated platform. Most attendees wore red, black, or clothing like the fashion of the 50s. Connie Co, the host of this concert’s episode first introduced the opener, an Australian indie rock and folk band called The Paper Kites. After their set and the transition period, Connie Co introduced Stephen Sanchez.
Stephen Sanchez came onstage on a spinning platform with him and his band members dressed in Halloween costumes. Wearing an inflatable baby costume, he began his show with the song “Evangeline.” This humorous introduction left everyone, including Sanchez, dying of laughter, causing him to restart both “Evangeline” and “Only Girl.” After two additional songs from Angel Face with his costume on, he switched to his black outfit and pink tie for the remainder of the show.
Maintaining the television show theme of the tour, after every couple of songs there would be an interlude with Connie Co talking about Sanchez’s career and asking him questions about himself. These comical yet entertaining bits allowed smooth transitions into the different acts of the shows while allowing the viewers to feel like a live studio audience throughout the concert.
He played a total of twelve songs from “Angel Face,” including “Howling at Wolves” and “The Other Side” from “Angel Face (Club Deluxe).” Two of his other original songs included “Hey Girl” from his EP “Easy on My Eyes” and an unreleased love song entitled “You Are So Beautiful.” Accompanying his original works, he also performed three covers: “Put Your Head on My Shoulder” by Paul Anka, “Oh, Pretty Woman” by Roy Orbison and “Holding On” by The War on Drugs. The instrumentation of all these songs ranged from just him and his acoustic guitar to a full band with synth and other technological additions.
As the concert came to a close, his finale was his most popular song “Until I Found You.” He officially concluded the night with the song “Shake” as his encore. From comical costumes to sweet serenades, this episode on The Connie Co Show Tour was an unforgettable journey through time and love.