Leon Bridges Live in Amsterdam – Special Report From Holland

I am pleased to welcome guest columnists Carly Auerbach and Luke Hazel, reporting from Europe.

Traveling to Amsterdam to watch a performer with deep southern roots was an interesting way to see one of your favorite artists for the first time. Listening to native Dutch speakers belt every word of the 19 song setlist from Leon Bridges was a testament to how far great music can travel.

Leon Bridges kicked off his 2018 Good Thing Europe Tour in Munich, Germany on October 23rd. He made stops in some of Europe’s biggest music scenes including Stockholm, Copenhagen, Dublin and London. We were lucky enough to catch him where Heineken is often preferred over water.

Bridges opened his show at the famous Paradiso in Amsterdam with the big hit off his new album ‘If It Feels Good’ and immediately captivated everyone’s attention with his smooth voice. His powerful vocals were complemented by his sleek wardrobe and even sleeker dance moves.

Bridges went from having everyone literally ‘Twistin’ & Groovin’ (his ode to a lady from NOLA) to hanging on to every note in the song ‘Lisa Sawyer,’ dedicated to his mother. Bridges and his talented band offered an exceptional show that made us appreciate the southern charm that was evident in his between-song comments. ‘Georgia to Texas’ may have been his most striking song of the evening, with only his vocals commanding the room.

Although on an international stage, the performance could have been easily mistaken for just a bunch of friends jamming together in their garage. Bridges is unapologetically himself, which only connects the audience to him more. Bridges’ great performance is certain to raise his international stature.