Alec Benjamin Concert Review: A Wholesome Homecoming

Arizona singer-songwriter Alec Benjamin's songs always tell the remarkably relatable story of growing up: moving out, losing friends, flying across the country. Though on Sept. 24 at Boston’s MGM Music Hall, with his own parents and sister in the crowd, Benjamin’s incredible performance felt a lot like returning home.

After opening with Claire Rosinkranz singing her hit song “Backyard Boy,” Boston welcomed Benjamin with roaring applause. The concert, meant to feature his new “(Un)Commentary” album, opened with one of the album’s hit singles, “Devil Doesn’t Bargain.” The crowd seemed to grow more excited as Benjamin moved to some of his most popular songs, however: “Boy In The Bubble,” “Jesus in LA,” “Change My Clothes,” and “Shadow of Mine” received the loudest applause. However, with simple stage lighting and only four band members, Benjamin’s voice remained the focus of the entire performance.

Opener Claire Rosinkranz singing her hit song “Backyard Boy.' By Addison Y. Liu

In a world constantly supplementing music with autotune and blaring light displays, it was refreshing to listen to Benjamin simply sing to the accompaniment of his guitar and piano. And while his voice matched listeners' favorite recordings perfectly, his performance offered an experience that no streaming service could replicate. To the pleasant surprise of listeners, Benjamin stitched together his set with anecdotes from his life and a relatable, random flow of conscious thoughts.

“I was thinking when I sat down,” the singer said. “Well I should say something funny, and then I thought well I don’t have anything funny to say but I thought it would come to me, but it hasn’t yet, so I’m gonna play a song.”

In the entertainment industry, there can be an unnatural focus on perfection: perfect stage setup, perfect costumes, perfect performance. But Benjamin’s performance felt perfectly imperfect, as if he were genuinely performing for some of his closest friends with no need to impress.

Though the concert became truly memorable when Benjamin mentioned this idea of a homecoming, underscoring the fact that Boston was an essential city in his early singing career. Reminiscing on his earlier life, Benjamin shared that Boston was one of the very first places that he performed.

“I started out, I remember, I played in a hotel ballroom here a couple of times,” Benjamin said. “And it's crazy that I’m here right now with you guys.”

“I started out, I remember, I played in a hotel ballroom here a couple of times,” Benjamin said. By Addison Y. Liu

It was the song that Benjamin played next that truly hushed the crowd with both awe and nostalgia. As he switched from guitary to the piano, Benjamin told the story of the first song that he ever wrote, which he performed right here in Boston back in 2016:

“One of the first times that I ever got to play this song in front of people who didn’t know me was actually here in Boston, and I wrote this song when I was 17. And it was the first song that I ever released, but then it got taken down, so maybe I’ll…maybe I’ll put it back up.”

The song “Paper Crowns” was taken down from streaming services such as Spotify and iTunes, making this performance of his first song even more memorable. And if Benjamin’s intimate concert wasn’t already wholesome enough, the singer ended his concert with a sincere thank you. After thanking his parents, MGM Music Hall, and his band members, he graciously thanked the crowd.

“And most importantly we have you guys, the most important part of the equation.”

An overall compassionate person and singer wholly appreciative of his audience, his concert left his fans with a feeling of hopefulness. Alec Benjamin’s voice alone would exceed the expectation of any regular listener, but his honest anecdotes and gracious personality were the cherry on top of an outstanding performance.

After thanking his parents, MGM Music Hall, and his band members, he graciously thanked the crowd. By Addison Y. Liu