Gary Clark Jr. transports us out of this world at the Fillmore

Night one of Gary Clark Jr.’s four-night residency at the Fillmore was a smashing success. Fresh off of his recent tour with Lenny Kravitz, the singer showed no sign of fatigue. On the contrary, Clark brought the fire and transported the audience out of this world, proving he has the skill to be named one of our generation’s greatest guitar players. There are a lot of good guitar players. In fact, there are a lot of great guitar players. However, playing the guitar like it was made for you and you only is a true feat. Pair that skill with the ability to sing and you are approaching divinity.

Fiona Silver started the night off by incorporating a variety of 60’s surfer rock, soul, and riot grrl influences. Silver reminded me of the first time I ever heard Amy Winehouse sing: sultry and breathy at points, but undeniably powerful with a wicked growl. Donned in a velvet one piece and fishnet tights, Silver waltzed around the stage with ease, flashing flirty smiles to her bandmates and the occasional lucky audience member. Despite only performing to a half full Fillmore, Silver commanded the stage as if she had been performing there since the day she was born.

As soon as the clock hit 9:15 and the lights dimmed, the band slowly took the stage; Clark was the last to join, slowly swaying onto the stage like a ruler surveying his kingdom. As he sauntered on to the stage, his sly smile did not even begin to betray what he had in store. Clark looked as if he had a secret, and perhaps his sheer talent was exactly that. I found his humble stage presence endearing, drastically different from the egocentrism of many rockstars. It was clear he was there for one thing and one thing only: the music.

Unlike many rock musicians, Clark was just fun to watch. Clark’s face contorted with every note, like he was merely a vessel for the artistry as his bluesy demons took possession of him and proceeded to shred his guitar. Clark’s set was evenly distributed across his diverse discography, showcasing his best blues charts, new music, punk-esque ragers, covers, and even love ballads.

Clark ended the night with his cover of ‘Come Together,’ thrilling the audience and encouraging us to sing with him. I approach Beatles covers cautiously; after all, every artist and their mother will at some point cover a Beatles’ tune. Yet, Clark seemed to breathe new life into his take on the classic. Pairing it with a jarring guitar and his own intoxicating voice brought it into the 21st century. Clark clearly relished in performing; the entire night he beamed with delight and continually told the audience, “I just feel good. I feel real good tonight.”

I went in with high expectations; Clark’s studio albums are treasures: raw and beautiful. I wasn’t sure if his live show could truly capture the wonderful mesh of blues, hip-hop, and rock influences that are so prevalent in his albums. I was nervous his musicianship would fall flat or he wouldn’t have the stage presence to make a show fun. Clark proved me wrong and proceeded to shatter my expectations, challenging what I thought a guitar player, singer, and performer could be. Overall, I am speechless. Words don’t do Clark justice; just go to his show.