Words By: Kentya Kurban
Photos: Racquel Villagante
Vancouver, BC – Raised in Columbia, Maryland, Christopher Gallant (better known as Gallant) graced Chinatown’s Fortune Sound Club with his angelic falsetto voice this past week. Last performing in Surrey, BC at the FVDED in The Park Music Festival, Gallant was back in BC for his 26th and final show on his Ology North American tour. The Thursday night show was 100% sold out, and VIP fans were treated to a meet-and-greet with Gallant before he hit the stage.
Much to the audience’s disappointment, the original opener for the show pulled out due to “unforeseeable circumstances.” The crowd was left to stand around staring at their phones, anxiously waiting for 2 hours for their headliner. After what seemed like forever, a big circle lit up on the wall behind the drummer with yellow text glowing: “Gallant.” The band–drummer, guitarist, and pianist–came out to awaken the crowd. Gallant with his cup of steaming hot tea in hand (the brand and flavour of tea unknown, but most definitely a tea that helps with hitting those high notes) stepped out onto the stage in his signature black turtleneck and black ripped jeans. Gallant poetically started off his set with “Open Up” (no pun intended).
Gallant proved himself a true performer who knew how to keep his crowd entertained. The irritatingly long wait for the show to start seemed to have been completely forgotten as everyone marvelled at their Falsetto King. Jumping up onto the elevated edge of the stage, Gallant hovered above his crowd, serenading his front row of fans, touching and holding their hands as he gazed into their eyes.
He’d then slip back into his ‘living room’ setup on stage (an antique floor lamp, 2 large leafy plants, and a grandparents’ house style arm chair–props all following the aesthetics of his album art for Ology) where he’d rendezvous into a little dance party with himself. Throughout his set, Gallant would sip on his tea in his arm chair, and interchange his look from ball cap, to no cap, to round-rimmed glasses, to a satin black suit jacket. Not only was his audience amazed and amused by his creativity and versatility, there were many points at which his drummer, guitarist, and pianist exchanged amazed looks and laughs with each other.
As the show went on, it became apparent that there was something unique about Gallant. He was able to hit all the high notes, but his facial expression: completely nonchalant, like it was nothing. It was as if he was just chilling in his living room, hanging out in his arm chair. During his performance of “Jupiter,” his falsettos on falsettos on falsettos even pierced through the crowd’s highest-pitched screams. The lights were dimmed during this song and smoke billowed in a Halloween-esque fashion. You could only see his outline. It gave off the impression that some supernatural being was singing on stage.
The crowd passionately sang-screamed along to one of the newer faves, “Talking to Myself”. On this track in particular, Gallant’s drummer shined brightest, getting the room from front to back reverberating. During “‘Skipping Stones”, there was a moment where the guitarist took front and centre stage for a sparkling solo. At this point, Gallant took his water bottle and watered the 2 plants on stage–chillin. The pianist also revealed her vocal talent during harmonies throughout the set, and it became clear at this point that Gallant’s entire band was at the highest level of professional.
The highlight of the night was of course the grand finale post-encore that will forever be embedded in everyone’s memory: when Gallant invited up a fan on stage for a last dance. The fan was so pro that the audience thought it was staged. Gallant himself tweeted at the fan afterwards saying he was impressed by her. The concert was extremely memorable on all levels. Gallant truly brought all the elements together to make the night not just a show, but an experience.
