Last week, up-and-coming singer/songwriter Alec Benjamin stopped by The Fillmore Detroit as part of his 12 Notes tour.
I’ve been a fan of Benjamin since I heard the song Let Me Down Slowly, which coincidentally, is the same track that helped propel him to stardom. When I first learned that he was coming to town, of course I had to throw my hat in the ring to cover the show.
The 12 Notes album, which was released earlier this year, features several popular songs including Ways To Go, I Sent My Therapist To Therapy, and The Arsonist, all of which Benjamin played in his Detroit show.
Firstly, not only was the venue completely stunning, but it is also among the most historic music halls in the country. I had been to The Fillmore several times before as a fan and concertgoer, but never as a photographer, so this was an especially unique experience.
The show started with the opener of pop singer Matt Hansen, who I am not especially familiar with. However, when Alec Benjamin finally took the stage around 8:45pm, that’s when the fun really began.
Speaking of which, Benjamin delivered an absolutely electrifying performance, led by passionate and energetic lyrics that had the raucous crowd singing along all night. Benjamin had a gigantic smile on his face nearly all of the night, and I could tell, with such an up-close view, that he was truly living in the moment.
There were a few brief pauses in between songs, which were particularly interesting due to how Benjamin spoke directly to his audience members, having shared candid stories about his music, his career, and his affinity for the city of Detroit. I was quite surprised at the demographic in attendance, as it was a primarily younger crowd, made up of predominantly teenagers and early twenty-somethings.
The security at the venue was particularly strict, which was something I’m not super accustomed to as a concert photographer. Ultimately, I only ended up photographing the first three songs in Benjamin’s set, before eventually departing the show all together before it officially concluded.
Despite this, I truly enjoyed the show, and even found myself quietly singing along at times. I’m grateful for the opportunity to have covered Alec Benjamin’s Detroit show this year, and look forward to his return, whenever that may be.
