Sam MacPherson Concert Review: A Candid College Kickback
MacPherson reflected on his past faults as well as his plans and hopes to be more vocal in his love and support for others.With only an acoustic guitar and simple stage lighting, Sam MacPherson brought his soulful touch to the Roadrunner Boston on Nov. 5. A native eastcoaster from Red Bank, N.J., MacPherson opened for Jeremy Zucker’s “Is Nothing Sacred?” Tour, perfectly complimenting the music of this indie star.
MacPherson’s set was sure to please both new and diehard fans, with music ranging from from his most popular hit singles to unreleased songs. The night started with crowd favorites, including “Safe to Say” and “Crash Course.”
The audience also gained insight into the personal story behind “Last Minute,” one of his most-streamed pieces: After years of an on-and-off relationship that started in high school, the song details a climactic love confession just before MacPherson is about to move across the country to Los Angeles.
Interspersed between songs, MacPherson also took the time to shout out two special guests in the crowd.
“If you hear a tall, deep, burley, Scottish accent over there in the corner, those are my two best friends from college that are here,” said MacPherson.
In a way, the simplistic stage — void of excess lighting, instruments, and effects — effectively mimicked the environment where MacPherson started producing music; any listener could envision him bringing a simple college dorm room to life with relatable lyrics and the hum of his guitar.
Near the end of the set, MacPherson decided to pay tribute to his college musical self-discovery by singing “Thinkin Bout You” by Frank Ocean. Not only was this one of MacPherson’s favorite songs, but the initial spark that launched him into a career as a singer-songwriter.
“I remember sitting in that dorm room and finding this song and this artist…It’s the first artist that made me want to write music of my own, and songs of my own, and become an artist of my own,” said MacPherson. “So, I thought I’d play that song for you — hopefully you’re a fan of Frank Ocean.”
This reflective moment was especially memorable because it preceded a song that wasn’t his own — emphasizing the power of gaining inspiration from other artists.
To finish off his performance, MacPherson gifted the audience with a performance of his unreleased single entitled, “I Don’t Want to See You Try.” Before performing, MacPherson left the audience with a solemn, yet hopeful message about mental health and verbalizing our love for one another.
“This song is about a dark moment in my life. It’s about the time that someone that I loved told me that they weren’t sure if they wanted to be alive anymore, and they were going through a lot, and they were really struggling with their mental health. And I didn’t, at the time, know what to say,” said MacPherson
As he sang with lyrics full of pure vulnerability, MacPherson reflected on his past faults as well as his plans and hopes to be more vocal in his love and support for others.
“This song, even though it was a dark moment, had become a reminder to me,” said MacPherson, “and hopefully to you after I play it, to call the people you love and tell them that you love them.”
—Staff writer Sarah M. Rojas can be reached at sarah.rojas@thecrimson.com