Indie-folk favorite John Vincent III brought his signature gentle, Americana-infused sound to the Jefferson Theater Saturday, taking the audience on a musical roadtrip across the country, from Houston to Nashville to Los Angeles.
Opening the show, Glasgow-based indie-folk artist Murdo Mitchell blew audiences away with a beautifully upbeat acoustic performance. The packed crowd then enthusiastically welcomed Vincent to Charlottesville, dancing and singing to the entirety of his hour and fifteen minute set.
On his tour, “The Roadtrip,”Vincent celebrates his 2023 album “Songs For The Canyon,” which follows a four-year break from releasing music. Written and recorded bicoastally, the album combines West Coast rock and Southern country influences, adding introspective lyrics and emphasizing Vincent’s complex guitar playing. The songs are filled with anecdotes that recognize universal human stories of love and loss, allowing it to connect with a wide audience.
Vincent began writing this album when the COVID-19 pandemic struck. Joined by his girlfriend and their new puppy, Vincent got into a Ford Transit van and drove for eight straight months across the country. Inspired by that nearly year-long adventure — combined with the immense musical history of Laurel Canyon, Calif., a town that once was home to legends from Joni Mitchell to The Doors — Vincent’s triumphant album has attracted fans new and old.
The show opened with “City Rain,” a beautiful ballad about growing up from Vincent’s 2019 album “Songs from the Valley.” Next he played “Lover of Mine” from the same album, grabbing his harmonica and treating the audience to a soulful rendition of one of his most popular love songs.
Vincent switched to his acoustic guitar and played three reflective songs from “Songs For The Canyon” — “Bluebird Singing,” “Money and My Pride” and “Juniper and Yellow” — which the crowd sang just as loudly as they did when he played his older music.
When it was time to play “Mountain Sounds,” a song that Vincent said was the second one he ever wrote, his band left the stage and gave him the space to play alone with his guitar just the way he wrote it, allowing him to connect with fans on a more intimate level.
It was clear that Vincent was one with his audience — the crowd hung onto every note that rang out from his guitar, eager for more. He was engaged the entire show, responding cheerfully to fan callouts and at one point even tossing a pack of fruit snacks into the crowd. A burst of loud cheers erupted during “In My Sheets” each time Vincent sang the line “maybe somewhere like Virginia, love,” and hollers of excitement echoed throughout the theater when he began to play fan-favorite “Next to You”.
“I didn’t know what to expect at a John Vincent III concert as his music is usually on the slower side,” said first-year college student and audience member Chloe Panos. “But his stage presence was radiant and even during slower songs like Next to You, he had the whole audience singing along.”
His love for his fans and the music is evident not only in the amount of soul he puts into each song, but in his kindness and gratitude as well. After the show, Vincent sat on the edge of the stage to talk to fans who had stuck around, happily taking pictures and answering questions. When one group of high schoolers asked for a guitar pick, he went all the way backstage just to find one to give them.
Although this show was Vincent’s first time in Charlottesville, he remarked that he will definitely be coming back, which was met with plenty of applause.
“I say this a lot because it's true, but a year ago, if I were to come to this city, this probably wouldn’t have happened,” Vincent said. “But you guys are all here tonight, and it means so much to me.”
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