A Review of Lucky Daye’s Algorithm Tour Night 1

Let’s start with the highlights: Lucky is a performer. He is so ready to perform at this caliber: he has the vocal acumen, the breathing stamina, and the charismatic stage presence. Lucky knew how to use all sides of the stage, and engage with the crowd while never missing a single note. And yes, the mic was on. There were some awkward moments of bringing people on stage that I might personally remove, but the crowd seemed to enjoy them for the most part and it’s nice to see an artist make an effort to engage with fans directly. Another standout of the show was the setlist breadth: Lucky played multiple tracks from all of his albums (the EPs didn’t get as much love but that’s just the hazards of having a robust catalog), and also varied tempos in a way that surprised and thrilled (I expected some of my slower favs to be skipped). It’s so lovely for fans when an artist uses a live show to honor the full breadth of their catalog.

Now, the lowlights. Just a few tracks in, some glaring misses became apparent with the music choices made. The entire show, Lucky performed over instrumental tracks despite having a live (bare bones) band present. One thing I love about Lucky’s discography is that he generally has fuller sounding music than his R&B contemporaries, and while I don’t expect him to tour with a full string and brass section, I think the show would be much improved by leaning more on the live band than the tracks. At a basic level, the track volumes should be better calibrated (they were louder than him sometimes). Lucky also desperately needs background singers—again when I think about curating a live music experience, this is just a basic move away from tracks (which can be listened to at home, anytime) and towards a unique live entertainment experience. Speaking of the experience, Lucky’s show would be even better if the background singers can bust a move or at least execute some pretty, synchronized movements behind him. Because Lucky’s band did nothing besides play music and there was no decoration on stage, there’s so much empty space and room behind Lucky. A truly great show will make use of all the space available to maximize entertainment value. And there’s nothing wrong with empty space, but even that should be intentional. Ultimately, I think this show was a missed opportunity to lean more into the new sound of Algorithm. After all, hundreds of people heard Lucky’s first ever rock-leaning project and showed up to groove live with him. He could’ve decorated the stage with black leathers & liquid metals like his website and social media now feature, he could’ve synced lights with guitar riffs, he could’ve dressed his band in all black to match his fit. Instead, aesthetically, Lucky played it safe: the lights were standard fare, his band wore plain white tees and the stage had no décor to speak of. I know nothing of Lucky Daye’s financial circumstance or who is funding the tour so I try not to be too harsh, but I do believe it’s worth noting that these are the types of considerations required once an artist graduates from small venues to mid-size ones. As I’ve discussed previously on this blog, it becomes even more important for artists to intentionally craft their show; planning how to adequately fill a bigger space is part of that planning, and just because you can sell out the larger venue doesn’t mean your show is ready for it. 

My immediate stand out on Algorithm is track #8, a slow-tempo, reflective song in which Lucky implores the listener to think differently and think bigger about what their relationship could be. These lyrics resonate with me as I reflect on Algorithm Tour night 1: I need Lucky to think differently and think bigger about what his live shows could look, sound, and feel like. As it stands, I would probably only recommend this show to a big fan, someone who will enjoy hearing the songs performed live regardless of an imperfect show. But for the casual listener or someone with high expectations for a live experience, I’d recommend waiting to catch Lucky on his next tour in the hopes that he can implement some key changes on his next go round!

Any other Daye Ones here? Would love to hear others’ thoughts about the Algorithm tour below!

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