On October 27th, I had the opportunity to see BØRNS at the Viaduct, a normal maintenance tunnel east of Dodger Stadium by day, a lively concert venue by night. Kensington Presents [http://www.kensingtonpresents.com], the entertainment group that put on the concert, aims to provide “immersive experiences in unexpected places” and does exactly that.
BØRNS, an innovative and remarkable original performer, was paired with the American Youth Symphony. AYS is arguably one the best symphonies in the nation, and their crisp, classic sound paired beautifully with the dreamy, modern songs BØRNS sang. The venue itself made the concert so different from any other concert I had been to, as it was within a tunnel where the metro was running through only five feet away from me.
BØRNS had such a lively vibe and great stage presence, joking with the audience and throwing roses into the crowd. I have seen BØRNS in concert before, albeit it was a much different experience than the small, intimate show I saw at the Viaduct, rather it was 40,000 people watching him perform at the Santa Monica Pier. He played fan favorites such as American Money and Electric Love, with the American Youth Symphony giving the songs a new twist by providing the instrumentals. BØRNS also sang new singles Faded Heart and Sweet Dreams from his upcoming album, which I binge listened to on Spotify immediately after. I have to say this is probably the best concert I’ve ever been to, and as a girl who has been to her fair share of concerts I think I’ve seen every type of show there is to see. I now have seen BØRNS in concert twice, but I for sure will be seeing him in a concert again.
All photos courtesy of Holly Haworth and Kensington Presents