Yasmin Williams plays solo instrumental guitar folk rock.  She opens with “Juvenescence” from her 2021 album, Urban Driftwood. It is her most popular song on Spotify with over 2.7 million streams.

For one song, she attaches a kalimba (aka a thumb piano), to the bottom of her guitar. It’s impressive to watch her play both at the same time. Often, she flips the guitar on it’s side and plays it in the style of a lap steel guitar. She is also wearing tap shoes which allow her to add percussion to the songs. After each song, the audience responds with a grand applause.

She ends the set with “Restless Heart” from her 2018 album, Unwind. Her guitar playing sounds similar to John Butler Trio at times. Afterwards, the crowd sends her off with an enthusiastic standing ovation.

See a recent setlist here.

Quinn Delaney

P.S. Yasmin returned to the stage during Brittany Howard’s set to play a song with her in a great collaboration!

What happens when a band loses its lead singer? Can they continue to tour? More bands these days are saying yes. AC/DC famously pulled this off. 10,000 Maniacs, Stone Temple Pilots, and Sublime are doing it now. The Fray are giving it a go after Isaac Slade decided to leave the band in 2022 to pursue other interests. Their rhythm guitarist is now taking over lead vocals. This strongly changes the dynamic of the band instead of having the lead being the piano player.

They open with “Angeleno Moon” from their new album, The Fray is Back. It seems like a brand new band. The songs sound a lot different with a new voice and the piano a bit further back in the mix. It’s more like a background keyboard than a lead instrument.

They follow this up with “Over My Head (Cable Car)” from their debut 2005 album, “How to Save A Life”. Everyone sings along “And everyone knows I’m in / Over my head, over my head / Eight seconds left in overtime / She’s on your mind, she’s on your mind.” Again, this old song sounds a lot different with the new configuration.

They close the show with “How to Save A Life”, which many people remember as the unofficial theme song for Grey’s Anatomy. This is their most popular song on Spotify with over 1.2 billion streams. “Where did I go wrong? / I lost a friend / Somewhere along in the bitterness / And I would have stayed up with you all night / Had I known how to save a life”.

In conclusion, bands can continue without their former lead singer. Their results will vary, with most bands not reaching the same heights that they did before.

Cost of a ticket: $65

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Discounted

Rating Scale: Exceptional Value > Worth It > Discounted > Go for Free > Don’t Bother

See the full setlist here. 

Quinn Delaney