In Concert: Griff

My journey back to concerts began mostly because my child was too young to get into certain venues alone. It was the perfect push to go back to something I loved as a teenager, then was too poor as a college student to partake in, and now as a full-fledged adult I am making up for lost time. Boston is a great place to enjoy concerts in venues that run the gamut from tiny and intimate to large and raucous. In concert is a series that recaps concerts primarily in Boston. It is a vignette of each show, to inspire you to hopefully take a listen to a new band and catch them next time they are in town. I love a wide range of music styles and always prefer to be standing on the floor than seated at a concert because I love to dance. Each vignette will include a little 101 on the venue as well.

When + Where

Griff came to Boston on her Vertigo World Tour on September 20th to the House of Blues in Fenway. House of Blues is a nice mid-sized to large venue with lots of history and funk. The space on the floor is open and unobstructed. Then there are several levels of mezzanines, some private for the foundation room and artists friends, family and VIP and others ticketed. At the top is a small area of stadium seating. It was a cool fall evening in Fenway. The crowd was lined up down the street and around the block ready for the show. The neighbourhood was abuzz with an Orioles vs. Red Sox game at Fenway park and concert goers were also streaming into MGM Fenway for a show.

Opener

Stephen Dawes a young alternative pop singer-songwriter originally from Massachusetts but now based in New York opened the show. He had a cool soulful air about him. Dawes had youthful softness to his energy and vulnerability in his music. He did a cover of Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream in addition to his songs of love and relationships.

Vibe on the Floor

Even though, House of Blues is mid-sized, the floor still feels quite intimate. Griff’s fans were singing along to her songs from the first note to the last. Griff also connected even more with the audience, walking through the middle of the crowd to sing a song shoulder to shoulder with her fans. A debut album tour is always kind of special. With this audience and in this setting it was palpable.

The Songs

Griff is an R&B pop from the UK. She is a 1/2 Jamaican and 1/2 Chinese and grew up outside of London in a small village. . Her debut album Vertigo was release in July of 2024. The set included two of my favourite songs: Black Hole and Into the Walls among many others. She sang Astronaut and Tears for Fun for the encore.

Vibe on Stage

Griff has great moves on stage dancing and filling the space. Her energy and connection to the audience never stopped for a second from start to finish. Even still quiet moments at the keys emitted an intensity and radiance that kept us all with her even in the shadows. The stage and lighting was a subtle backdrop to her cool look, music and dancing.

Lyrics to Linger Over

There’s a big black hole where my heart used to be
And I’ve tried my best to fill it up with things I don’t need

Black Hole, Griff, One Foot In Front of the Other (2021)

Yesterday, I felt like dancin’
Tomorrow, maybe I’ll cry
Today, I feel like watchin’
So let them walk on by, yeah

Into the Walls, Griff, Vertigo (2024)