Concert Review: Jack Kays Turned The Year Around At Irving Plaza
When Jack Kays discussed how in one year he: moved to NYC with his girlfriend, started making music, landed a record deal that would lead him to perform in one of the biggest venues in NYC, I entered an existential crisis. What THE HELL HAVE I DONE IN ONE YEAR?! There are socks I am still searching for… one year later. Yet, when you tap into the “art of self-loathing,” you are going to get a fanbase. Hence, I knew I had to see Jack Kays before everyone started watching.
When I say the “art of self-loathing,” what I mean is the odd “beauty” from which we approach hating ourselves. Let’s be honest! Some of the best songs of all time are sad ones where the lead singer is mourning a loss of some kind. I never forget how every time The Weeknd or Adele break up with somebody, the first comment you read is, “Damn, their next album is going to be FIRE!” People love the “tortured artist,” especially if, live, they manage to turn off the torture and turn on the happy. After all, Adele is one of the funniest performers I’ve seen and The Weeknd has more energy than the sun. Jack Kays has that capacity; the ability to sing a song about a broken heart while appearing like a guy whose only known pure love.
Maybe, the ability to smile while singing to tears makes for resilience? As Jack Kays talked about transitions to New York and how the pandemic inspired him to sing to his “un-inspiration,” people felt moved. After all, who has not read twenty million self-helps books on how to help yourself? The Irony! Yet, in an odd way, Jack Kays showed that non-motivation is motivation. Sometimes, full emptiness is a good enough reason to strive for complete fullness. From “Tired“ to “Barely Alive,“ he played his guitar like Springsteen, poured his heart over the piano like an Elton John, and, overall, sang to woes and wishes like a Jack Kays.
I really liked Jack Kays and, what was so good, is that audience did, as well. They felt, as a person, he was like a human etch-a-sketch of all the times they emotionally shut down, and, in claiming that sadness, he made them happy again. Huh! Looks like acknowledging a wound can help heal it, and Jack Kays provides the music to do so.
