Some would say Sundays in the South are reserved for worship of some kind... but 675 like-minded individuals would agree that this past Sunday was the perfect opportunity to spend an intimate evening with Jason Wade, of Lifehouse. To say the talented musician "took us to church" would be an understatement! The crowd was standing, arms outreached, singing every word of those heartfelt lyrics we first heard almost 25 years ago.
Jason was joined by Lifehouse guitarist and folk/indie vocalist, Steve Stout at Charleston’s favorite venue, Music Farm. There are not too many venues like Music Farm- the modern space is housed in a historic train depot and every seat is a great one. With such an intimate feeling already, it was surprising to witness Jason narrow the gap even more by addressing fans by name throughout the evening. He pointed out high school friends, talked to someone on FaceTime, and even pointed out a guy whose wedding he performed at. Artists who stay humble after making it big in the industry deserve the most respect.
Hearing Lifehouse’s biggest hits, acoustically, was a treat, to say the least! ‘Everything' is a song that can still bring tears to my eyes, 24 years after hearing it for the first time. Jason’s voice is flawless, and with Steve, he created something special. The talented musicians hit the road together for a 3-stop tour with just their gear and stage props- which included “Gary,” their golden, shiny, and illuminated faux tree that was the star of the show. The crowd loved hearing about Gary, who came from Amazon and now deserves its own Instagram page, judging by its fan club. By the end of the night, “Gary! Gary!” was chanted loudly to summon an encore. Charleston was the final stop after sold-out shows in both Atlanta and Charlotte.
Steve and Jason have also started a project together, Øzwald. The two musicians bonded over Indie music and the Beatles, which led to the guys writing and producing their own songs over the last few years. ‘Garden of the Sun’ is the 7th record from the band, and it is one they are extremely proud of. Both Jason and Steve became dads while working on this project and we got to hear a new song that was written about fatherhood; "All Of My Life." Check them out as they get ready to announce tour dates as a two-man show!
