Samm Henshaw Live at The Roxy
Photo by Max Christiansen
When I arrived at The Roxy in Los Angeles last Saturday, the venue could not have been more packed. It felt like an actual sauna in there with people crowding around the stage where Samm Henshaw was performing. This was one of the first shows for his “Untidy Soul” tour, titled after the album he released at the beginning of this year.
I had not listened to much of his music before, save for shuffling his songs while driving. However, upon entering the room, it was evident that Henshaw had this untouchable presence on stage. His performance of “The World is Mine” exemplified his soulful voice that filled every corner of the room. This song was moving when performed live with the blue lights matching the elevation in each line. It ended with this euphoric echo that reverberated on and on in my mind. I was not surprised at all about his obvious talent because his music definitely bestowed a catchy, feel-good sound through streaming alone. But, hearing him perform live provided a different experience as he brought movement and shifts in his voice to match the energy of the crowd, creating a one of a kind, powerful moment.
The Roxy was a perfect space for Henshaw to carry out his night in LA as the stage was positioned in the corner of the room. He was very entertaining to watch as he encapsulated this groovy air to the way he sauntered and danced on stage. I could not help but bop along with him, the rhythm was intoxicating. It quickly became a night full of dancing between him jumping around on stage and the crowd moving in suit.
My favorite song of the night had to be “Only Wanna Be With You,” a single that was released back in 2015. Henshaw brought the tone down for this one, taking a seat at the keyboard. The whole room went dark and a spotlight shined just over him. We could tell this was going to be a tear-jerker. This ballad complemented the angelic, soulful tones of his vocals and illuminated the range in his music. The lights came on at the close of the song with the lyrics “I think I’m in love.”
I read that Henshaw had grown up around gospel and the influences of this could be felt within his performance and lyricism. Towards the end of the show, he performed his hit song “Broke” and then “Church” which features EARTHGANG. “Church” fully embodied his gospel beginnings while mixing in an uplifting pop feel to it. It took me back to years ago when Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment dropped “Surf” in the heat of the Summer. Henshaw had the crowd’s energy in the palm of his hand as he bounced from either side of the stage, lifting up the hearts in the room.
Following the closing remarks, Henshaw went on to perform two more songs – “Doubt” and “Joy.” These songs finalized a night of liveliness granted by his smooth, honeyed vocals. I was humming the rest of the night as the crowd exited the venue, dispersing throughout the city, lightened by the same post-concert buzz.
