I saw that Jesse McCartney was coming to Austin on his Weightless Tour and knew I had to be there. It was going to be an incredible show. But, the show that I experienced absolutely blew me away and exceeded every expectation that I had. ACL Live at the Moody Theater was absolutely packed with new and returning fans alike, all screaming passionately for Jesse. I only knew him from his Disney Channel days, yet, I came out of that show with new friends and new songs for my playlists, as well as an incredible memory in the books.
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Childhood Nostalgia Turned Adult Forever Fans
I saw this really cute sign in the crowd as the show started that perfectly wrapped up the emotional experience of the fans. A majority of the crowd was in their middle to late 20s to 30s, but that didn’t stop them from gushing over someone that they had been following for a majority of their life.
Jesse McCartney was a pivotal experience for a lot of us as children or teens, growing up alongside his songs and attributing many of those to our childhood experiences. Hearing those songs live checked a bucket list item for so many in the crowd (myself included!). Jesse was so receptive to that energy the whole show, feeding into the love that the crowd was radiating to him from the barricade and beyond. One lucky fan even got to join Jesse on stage during Party for Two.
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Pop Star Energy Defined
I’ve seen some huge artists on the biggest stages in Austin, but nothing lives up to Jesse’s stage set up and energy. I really have to brag on the production crew for this show for a second because the stage set up for this show was incredible. The raised stage covered in lights is the perfect design for this tour, matching Jesse’s pop star energy effortlessly.
(I mean, come on, look at the ENERGY he has!!! These were the easiest pictures I’ve ever taken! He radiates!!)
I really wasn’t sure what to expect going into this show, but I’ve been thinking about this performance non-stop since I walked out of the theater. I’ve seen so many shows at this venue, but Jesse knows how to work the crowd better than anyone I’ve seen there before. He would after make sure to point up to the (three!) upper levels of balcony, making even the furthest away fans feel seen. He would often pause, taking in the whole crowd, looking up to the balcony seats and just watching as the venue interacted with his every word.
While performing, Jesse radiated his passion for his music and fans out with each word. It’s one of my favorite things ever when you can just tell when an artist has a deep seated love for what they do; Jesse exceeded any instance of that I’ve seen before. His performance was so beautiful and electric the whole show, never once wavering with tiredness.
Beautiful Soul
During the older songs, especially Beautiful Soul, Jesse read the fans so well, hyping up their excitement to sing along even more. I’m really glad I had earplugs in, because the fans were singing louder in that moment than the speakers played Jesse’s voice. (Protect your ears, folks!)
His fans are genuinely so dedicated to him and love every single song. It was such an incredible experience getting to witness the fans at the barricade and upper balcony alike. He creates such a beautiful space for his fans with each live performance and I can’t wait to experience it again soon.
You can check out Jesse’s tour dates here!
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Check out our gallery from the show!
