Jake Miller kicked off his Back to the Start Tour in Los Angeles this past Wednesday at the iconic El Rey Theatre.
Fans lined up just before mid-day outside the theatre, stringing down and around the building by 3 PM. A few even had flown in all the way from Thailand. VIP ticket holders enjoyed their early entry perks, as a few hundred of them trickled inside to get a good spot at barricade, one free merch item, and a photo or two with the singer. Miller not only welcomed all with hugs and that winning smile, but spent way more then just a few seconds with each. Which has unfortunately become the new standard with celeb photo-ops. With that said, fans enjoyed everything from small talk to creative poses, and some Snapchats.
California locals POP! Fiction kicked off the night, playing songs off their self-titled album and a few other new tracks just 6 days after dropping their new single “Steal the Night”, now streaming on Spotify. The Stolen took the stage next as the final supporting artists for the night, serving as lead supporting act for the tour with bassist Kevin Smart doubling up playing drums for Miller. The New Jersey band are on the tour promoting new album Fragile Heart, now on Spotify.
Shortly before 10 PM the venue filled up fast as fans got their spots locked-in. Ten-o-clock on the dot, lights went out and a roar from the crowd filled the darkness. The beginning of single “Palm Blvd” from current album 2:00am in LA began to play and with a kick of the bass drum, lights were on! The steady roar of the crowd increased as Miller took the stage, followed by singing-a-long to each and every word.
Jake Miller
The set had a fan faved mix of new and old paired with a full band, giving some songs a new sound. Overnight track “Parade” had a bit of that new sound with Miller on guitar, while other older hits like “Rumors” had the crowd jumping, creating a sea like wave throughout the floor. Mid-way through the set the singer soloed up, acoustic guitar in hand for a well needed acoustic rendition of “Parties” with a mash-up of Drake’s “Fake Love”, mellowing the crowd before switching it up to“Selfish Girls” . Shortly after the venue filled with light as fans had phones lit up held high, creating a beautiful scene for one of the first songs Miller ever recorded, “A Million Lives”.
The night continued, songs switching from new to old, with no one missing a word. Miller re-turned to stage for a overwhelming encore, closing with 2016’s fan fave “Overnight”.
Overall, the energy in the room remained high, even throughout the ballads. So basically if you haven’t gotten a taste of Jaker Mille yet, you probably should. This was one of the most, as the kids say “lit” shows we have attended this summer.
The Back to the Start tour serves as the first tour for Jake Miller with no label support since his departure from Warner Bros. earlier this year. The tour thus far has ranked high with ticket sales, with a sold out date in New York.
The details:
Tour dates & tickets- bandsintown.com/jakemiller
2:00am in LA- iTunes & Spotify
SEE PHOTOS: Jake Miller – El Rey Los Angeles
Photos by: Jen De La Cerda