If you were to take folk-flavored indie music and layer it with the angst that only a singer-songwriter could procure, you would be left with Jake Minch. The Connecticut native makes music for those who feel misunderstood and find solace in deep, emotional lyricism and simple melodies. He performed for a sold-out crowd at Center Stage Vinyl last Wednesday, serenading the venue with the poignant tunes off of his latest album “George.”
“George,” Minch’s debut record, was released just this last July to great fan reception. He says the album is “about being a martyr with nothing to die for and needing to f*** up some great things in order to see that.” The record certainly reflects that feeling, and Minch’s brilliant storytelling brings his experiences to life right in front of listeners’ eyes.
After a gorgeous opening set by Hana Bryanne, who owned the stage all on her own with her acoustic guitar, Jake Minch took to the stage, causing immediate, roaring cheers from the audience. He opened with “Twice,” off of “George,” all while being bathed in warm, backlighting from a lamp that was set on a table onstage. It gave the show a homey feeling, drawing nostalgia from the audience right off the bat.
His set continued with more songs off of “George” such as “Nostalgia Act” and “Drawing a Tattoo.” Being only 22 years old, Minch’s experiences are especially relatable to teenagers and young adults whose feelings are validated through his music. Through those songs, the audience clearly resonated with specific lyrics. For example, in “F***ed Up,” the crowd shouted out, “And I’m screaming at him not to … touch me / And everybody’s staring at the girl gone crazy.”
Minch sat down for a few songs in the middle of his performance, again drawing in the audience and making everyone feel the calm, low-key vibes of the night. He managed to bring the energy back up afterwards with what he described as his only two energetic songs: “whose you are” and “Say Uncle.” The latter was particularly fun as he encouraged his audience to get low to the ground and jump as the chorus hit.
“Fingers and Clothes,” the lead single off of “George,” was the most powerful part of the night. In the song, Minch compares his feelings for someone else to his nicotine addiction. The repetition of the line “Said it sticks to your fingers and clothes” throughout the song symbolizes his repeated emotions towards another person, even while dating someone else. The song’s story translated beautifully live, and it was an especially touching moment for the whole venue.
Minch closed out the night with “handgun,” his most popular song to date with nearly 3.5 million streams on Spotify. The audience took the opportunity to sing along and pour their hearts into the lyrics one last time.
If there was one word to describe the crowd gathered at Center Stage Vinyl that night, it would undoubtedly be “devoted.” It seemed as though every single member of the audience knew every song by heart, and yet they still clung to each and every lyric that Minch sang. That devotion and enamoration brought a serious gravity upon the venue, making the crowd feel the music’s significance, no matter what level of fan they were.
Jake Minch’s “George on Tour” continues through the end of August, and his debut album “George” can be streamed on all platforms now.