The first signs of spring are finally starting to appear in New Haven, Connecticut, with snow receding from the sidewalks and light jackets and sweaters replacing bulky winter outerwear. Still, fans lining up at 6:15 a.m. outside of College Street Music Hall huddle together to stay warm in the early hours of the day. The illuminated marquee sign above the front doors of the venue displays the lineup of shows happening there, with Del Water Gap front and center. Samuel Holden Jaffe, who goes by Del Water Gap as an artist, started writing music when he was 16 before participating in a program at Berklee College of Music and later studying at New York University. He began gaining recognition and fans in May 2020 with the release of “Ode to a Conversation Stuck in Your Throat,” with a new wave of fans discovering him later when he was an opener for Niall Horan in 2024. Del Water Gap has created numerous EPs and three albums, with his most recent album (Chasing The Chimera) being released in November 2025 and being the focus of his current Chasing The Chimera World Tour. I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to see Del Water Gap (and his opener, Leyla Ebrahimi) in New Haven on March 4, 2026. As the last night of his U.S. tour dates and his home state show, it was a memorable night for everyone who experienced it.
Leyla Ebrahimi
As the doors open for the show, fans hurry to have their tickets scanned so they can scope out the best views in the venue. Many of the attendees also rush to the growing line in front of the merchandise table, which is situated next to a glowing pink LED sign in the shape of Del Water Gap’s “horse with bowl cut” mascot. A six-legged version of the triskelion symbol (from Greek and Celtic cultures) is projected on the fabric screen that forms the backdrop of the stage setup. Just as the venue plunges into darkness for the opening act, a fog machine creates a dreamy atmosphere in the room. Leyla Ebrahimi steps into the spotlight as cheers erupt from the crowd, wearing a casual yet cool outfit consisting of a sweatshirt and jeans. She starts out her set with “say how you feel,” introducing fans to her music with a chill and groovy tune. Then, the Persian-American artist has fans clapping and jumping during “i’m too pretty for this” and “i don’t like being left behind,” morphing the more relaxed studio versions of the songs into an upbeat style.
Leyla Ebrahimi pauses in between her songs to chat with the growing audience, even saying that this was the largest crowd she’s ever played for. Her band members (Erez Potok-Holmes, Pete A. Jonas, Shane Pielocik, and Gigi Giobbi Valentino) bring out the energy in the next song, “nobody matters but You,” as Ebrahimi pours her heart and soul into singing it. For the closing song of her set, “if there is a light it’s burning out,” the singer-songwriter stirs emotions throughout the crowd. Fans raise their phone flashlights into the air during this slower song as they reflect on their feelings. Leyla Ebrahimi’s set leaves the crowd energized yet thoughtful: the perfect combination of emotions in preparation for the headliner.
The Home State Show Starts
After Ebrahimi disappears backstage, fans continue filling every available section in the venue. Some people chat with their friends in between the sets, while others sing along to the pre-show setlist tracks (such as “Somebody Else” by The 1975 and “Girl, so confusing featuring lorde” by Charli xcx and Lorde). Fans trade handmade bracelets with each other, creating new friendships and memories. Anticipation builds, and the crowd cheers as the lights dim one more time. Del Water Gap’s band members emerge from the back of the stage and stay hidden by the fog, starting to play the instrumentals for the first song. The crowd presses forward at the barricade with bright smiles and excited shouts as Del Water Gap parades to the front while singing “Small Town Joan of Arc,” one of the songs on the Chasing The Chimera album.
Wearing a tan jacket as well as layered bracelets and rings, the singer-songwriter is effortlessly stylish and charming. The voices of the crowd merge during the next slower song, “Sorry I Am,” as words previously unspoken are confessed out loud. After a couple of songs, Del Water Gap has the audience swaying and living in the moment during “Doll House,” where some fans even replicate his signature “‘Doll House’ knees” dance. The show continues on with both new and old songs making an appearance on the setlist. Del Water Gap also takes a moment between songs to talk to the crowd about how meaningful this show is to him. He was born in New Haven and spent the first few months of his life in the city where this show is, and spent much of his time after that in northern Connecticut. Additionally, with it being the last show on the United States segment of the Chasing The Chimera World Tour, Del Water Gap talks about feeling both emotional and exhausted, with this being the best tour he’s been on in his life.
Lights and Living
After performing “Ghost in the Uniform,” Del Water Gap brings out a wired button, explaining how the lighting director takes a break for the next song. So, he chooses a lucky fan to use the button and control the lights for the next song, “NFU.” Bright shades of purple, green, blue, and red flash as fans passionately sing along to the tune. Some of the next few songs, such as “Marigolds” and “High Tops,” are emotional and vulnerable, sparking the fans to slowly wave their phone flashlights in a sea of pain and comfort.
While some fans may have studied the setlist beforehand, Del Water Gap makes sure to surprise everyone by singing “Eastside Girls,” a song that was only occasionally played live during the current tour. After an addicting performance of “Glitter & Honey” (with some extra guitar riffs), the singer pauses to introduce the next song about growing up. There are people of every age and stage of life in the venue, but they all come together to sing along to “How To Live” while contemplating what it means to get older and become an adult.
One Last Chase
As the end of the night draws near, Del Water Gap begins to sing a few more throwback songs for anyone who discovered him from his earlier albums and tours. “Coping On Unemployment” and “All We Ever Do Is Talk” are both tunes that everyone in the venue knows and loves. The band is also introduced around this time: Jeff Frantom is on guitar, Zach Esposito is on bass, Ross Hodgkinson is on drums, and Andrew Freedman is on keys. For the next song, “Damn,” Del Water Gap brings out an embroidery machine to create a custom shirt for a dedicated fan in the pit, captivating the attention of everyone as he sings and crafts simultaneously. The fans who don’t get the shirt aren’t left out completely, as Del Water Gap leaps into the crowd while performing “Perfume.” The floor shakes as everyone bounces and dances, with the fans closest to the artist in shock over how close he is. One fan even hands him a cowboy hat that has “DWG” and the “horse with bowl cut” design on it (which he immediately puts on).
Dismay ripples through the crowd as Del Water Gap announces that the next song, “Ode to a Conversation Stuck in Your Throat,” would be his last one for the show. Still, every person in the room goes all out to sing with passion and liveliness. As the artist departs from the stage, fans are left speechless and with so many new memories to cherish. They take last-minute photos of each other, buy merchandise before it sells out, and wave goodbye to their new friends as the venue clears out. The air outside is chillier than it was when the show began, but the warmth from the show keeps every fan cozy as they head home.
Del Water Gap’s home state may be Connecticut, but anyone could feel at home during the final show of the Chasing The Chimera World Tour, no matter where they’re from. The opening artist, Leyla Ebrahimi, engaged the crowd with her vibrant energy and expressive lyrics. Since Del Water Gap performed songs from Chasing The Chimera as well as his earlier records, both new and longtime fans had the time of their lives. Del Water Gap will be continuing his tour in Europe for the next couple of months, before returning to North America for many notable festivals this summer (including The Governors Ball Music Festival in New York and All Things Go in Toronto). Whether you love introspective lyrics, upbeat tunes, or even artists originally from Connecticut, you won’t want to miss out on the next Del Water Gap show!