Review: Benson Boone brings his ‘American Heart’ Tour to Madison Square Garden

Benson Boone. Photo Credit: David Roemer

On Friday, September 5th, pop music star Benson Boone performed at New York City’s Madison Square Garden for a sold-out audience as part of his “American Heart” Tour.

Act I

Boone kicked off his high-adrenaline set with the spitfire “I Wanna Be the One You Call,” as he flipped on the stage. “How are we doing New York?” he asked. “How are we feeling?”

He continued with the mid-tempo “Wanted Man,” which had a retro, psychedelic vibe to it, where he displayed his falsetto in the end.

“You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for this day,” Boone attested to the audience, and went on to perform his catchy hit “Sorry I’m Here for Someone Else,” where everybody was reciting the chorus verbatim.

“Approximately four years and 172 days ago, I met my manager, and we made a goal that we would play Madison Square Garden someday,” he told the crowd. “1633 days ago… I cannot tell you how much this means to me. Thank you so much,” he expressed, and was moved to tears with that statement.

After a sip of water from his thermos, Boone asked the audience how everyone is doing. “This is going to be the most memorable day of my life,” he acknowledged, and went on to sing “Man in Me,” which he described as one of his favorite tunes from the new sophomore pop album “Young Heart.”

“Have you ever strongly disliked someone? It happens sometimes. I wrote a song about that, and it’s one of my favorites,” he said, and went on to serenade The Garden to “Drunk in My Mind.”

Boone noted that sometimes we live life too fast, and that its important to live in the present moment and to “slow things down,” and that’s precisely exactly what he did with the piano-laden “Slow It Down”… it truly was a lesson on mindfulness, prior to picking up the pace with the infectious “Be Someone.”

Act II

He began his second act with “Mystical Magical,” while traveling on a rolling chandelier from one stage to the other. “How are we doing out there?” he asked, and the audience erupted with joy.

He landed on the piano, and after another sip of water, he belted out “Pretty Slowly,” which was sheer bliss. “Thank you,” he said.

Equally beautiful was “In the Stars,” and the poignant ballad “Let Me Go,” which was inspired by the loss of his friend. Benson was clearly not afraid to be raw and vulnerable, and his vulnerability was the audience’s reward.

It was followed by a three-song medley of “older songs” that he doesn’t really sing much anymore, but he still loves them. These included “Let Me Go,” “There She Goes,” and “Sugar Sweet,” all of which were superb.

Boone revealed that he hails from Seattle, Washington, and he claimed that “Take Me Home” is his favorite song on the album, and rightfully so. He dedicated the ending to “New York,” which made it extra distinct.

Act III

He began his third act with an outfit change, and of course, flips. He sang “Young American Heart” and patriotic confetti (red, white and blue) bursted from the stage and drizzled throughout the historic venue.

Boone continued with the mid-tempo “Mr Electric Blue” and addressed the audience. “How are we doing up there?” he asked. “Are you having a good time?” he inquired, and the answer was a resounding “yes.”

He revealed that his cover song for tonight would be “Sign of the Times” by Harry Styles (after a fan caught a shirt in the audience with Boone’s design of it and the cover title), and he delivered a stirring rendition of this popular ballad, which was well-received by all.

Harry Styles would have approved of Boone’s bravura take of his song.

“Sit back, relax and enjoy my cover,” Boone said, and the audience did exactly that. “Thank you very much,” he said, following the warm reception.

Another high-point of the night was when he serenaded The Garden to the moving “Momma Song,” where he left the crowd drenched in a wide spectrum of emotions, and equally noteworthy was “Love of Mine.”

“How are we doing New York?” he asked. Are we feeling all right? You guys sound great,” he said, complimenting the fans. “I love it all!”

Boone concluded his set with “Reminds Me of You” and his global smash hit “Beautiful Things,” the latter of which felt like the national anthem at this hallowed venue, where there was a feeling of euphoria.

Encore

The Grammy-nominated artist returned to the Madison Square Garden stage for his encore song of “Cry,” which earned him a lengthy standing ovation.

Singer-songwriter Nick Tangorra remarked, “Benson Boone was unbelievable at Madison Square Garden. He is a total showman! Live entertainment is in great hands with this rock-star.”

The Verdict

Overall, Benson Boone put on a spectacular and explosive live show at Madison Square Garden as part of his debut.

He had the “Big Apple” audience at the palm of his hand for the entire duration of his eclectic set. Whoever has yet to see Benson Boone perform in a live setting is truly missing out. His flips helped elevate the show to a higher level.

It is evident that Boone has an old soul, musically. he encompassed the stage presence of Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco coupled with the stage presence of the late but great Freddie Mercury, the sexiness of Prince, and the vocal prowess of Bruno Mars meets Adam Lambert (and that is quite a compliment).

Each song in his set had its own identity, and it showcases his wide range as a contemporary recording artist and storyteller. His show garners five out of five stars for a job well done.

“American Heart” is available on digital service providers by clicking here.

For more information on pop megastar Benson Boone and his music, follow him on Instagram and visit his official website.