On Feb. 1, Holden Jaffe, known on stage as Del Water Gap, took the stage at Royal Oak Music Theater. Touring to promote his most recent album, Chasing the Chimera, Del Water Gap’s show was explosive, filling the room with constant, contagious energy and movement.
Prior to the show, I was lucky enough to snag some last-minute V.I.P. passes. This meant access to soundcheck and a special Q&A with Holden, where, adorned in a poorly cut neon pink bowl cut he got from a gaggle of bowl cut-wearing fans, he posed crucial questions, such as: Is cereal a soup? Or, is a hot tub human soup? Holden also took song requests, playing visually stripped-back and lax versions of his songs like “Glitter & Honey,” “To Philly” and “Eagle In My Nest.”
Going into the show, I didn’t actually know as many songs or as much about Del as I would have liked to. After soundcheck, though, I was surprised to discover how down-to-earth, charming and funny Holden really is. He brings a very real energy to the stage that I often found myself connecting with.
Along with his down-to-earth personality, he also has a noticeably restless energy. Running back and forth, jumping around and bringing every section of the audience into the show definitely enhanced his stage presence. Towards the end of the show, he even hopped over the barricade, jamming out to the chorus of “Perfume” with all of general admission.
Almost completely unfamiliar with the setlist, I found myself thoroughly enjoying every aspect of this show. Whether Del was bouncing around the stage singing about putting bathwater in soup or perched on a stool serenading us with mellow guitar and tales of his last breakup, I was non-stop enthralled.
This show pleasantly surprised me. I had bought the tickets on a whim, knowing about three of his songs, but I have since added at least a dozen more of his songs to various playlists of mine. Listening more intensely to his music the past couple of weeks has significantly helped me ignore the snowy sidewalks that feel like I’m ice skating, mentally transporting me to spring flowers, sunny afternoons and jacketless campus walks.
