As I get older, it takes a little bit more to entice me to a midweek gig. It takes a performer who doesn’t just sing but entertains, one who leaves a part of themselves on the stage, and one who is a whole lot of fun. It takes a performer like David Campbell.
I raved about David when I caught his Swing Sessions tour, but I knew this show would be a little different. His latest album explores another time, swapping classic crooning for the swinging tunes of the sixties. But the philosophy remains the same. David continues to deliver songs that stand the test of time because they’re just that good.
The songs give David a solid foundation, but it’s what he brings that makes them exceptional. He’s a rare performer, one that does all he can to truly entertain. He swivels his hips to make the girls scream, easily tells amusing anecdotes between songs, wears some of the most outrageous outfits I’ve ever seen on a straight man, and sings like a dream.
He was here to promote his new album Good Lovin’, but that doesn’t mean his other songs were forgotten. He loves to swing, and he delivered highlights of his Swing Sessions albums with gusto. And then he went further back to deliver some Johnny O’Keefe classics from the musical “Shout.” It didn’t matter which decade the songs came from; we knew them all and enthusiastically sang and clapped along.
Songs like “Just a Gigolo” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” were irreverent, while tender moments like “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” and the breathtaking “Mr Bojangles” nearly reduced me to tears.
I cannot say enough good things about David Campbell. Seeing him live is a special experience indeed. His Good Lovin’ tour is travelling all around the country at the moment. See it. You will not be disappointed.
Image source: own photo
