Eric Hutchinson’s “Almost Solo Tour” will be swinging by the Barrymore Theatre on Tuesday (buy tickets here), and Madison is lucky to have him. The coconut water-drinking singer — his vocal coach has him on it to hydrate! — is on the road with bandmate Elliott Blaufuss.
The Barrymore serves to create a bit more of an intimate setting for the widely praised performer, but this is in fact the purpose of his tour: to capture the audience/performer relationship. While Hutchinson is a fan of Twitter, even he admits that this digital world loses the unique energy of a live performance. When asked about this Hutchinson said, “I think I have a great relationship with my audience. I’m obsessed with Twitter and it’s been a great way to listen to the fans and keep in touch. But there’s still no substitute for a live show. You can’t get that energy watching something on YouTube. I’ve tried!”
So, don’t be surprised if you find yourself involuntarily tapping to the rhythm and singing along with Hutchinson; it’s supposed to happen. Inspired by Billy Joel and Prince concerts, Hutchinson describes them as being “non-stop singalongs and dancing. Whether it’s in the audience or on stage, I love that feeling of being part of something being bigger than just myself.”
What is so unique about the singer/songwriter, who writes his music with the intention of inducing what I’d like to call “the Billy Joel Effect,” is that he has achieved this without live performance. Listening to Hutchinson in the car, on the way to work, or even in the library is an instant mood changer. Hits like “Oh” and “Rock & Roll” are like a pick me up to your rainy day; you can’t help but bop your head to the beat. His catchy lyrics flow with ease to his perfectly combined acoustic/percussion melodies. The guitar strum on “Back to Where I Was” is calming but never bores the listener. He has created a balance between laid back and, for lack of a better term, pumped up; a bridge, if you will, between chilling and dancing. We could go as far to say that this aspect is an extension of Hutchinson himself. “I love Frank Ocean, fun., and The Black Keys,” he says. “I also listen to a lot of classical music like the Bach Cello concertos on the road to unwind.”
While he’s touring the country performing, the Baltimore Orioles fan is tackling another feat: hitting up every Major League Baseball stadium. Sure, this might have little to do with his music, but it’s pretty awesome that he’s committed himself to this in his spare time. Even if you’re not familiar with Eric Hutchinson, head out for a good time, for the entertainment of seeing a performer so immersed in the simple joy that music can bring. We’re confident in saying that Hutchinson will not disappoint.