Dan Napper made a memorable comeback to Liverpool on 2 October at his returning gig supporting Clemente at the Jacaranda alongside Headwired. With tickets sold-out, Dan showcased his ability to captivate an entire room of people with his powerful set on Thursday.
The supporting band, Headwired, kicked off the gig with a compelling and energetic show. Proudly from the black country, a defining moment was their cover of War Pigs by Black Sabbath which was delivered with intensity along with prominent regional pride. A lot of their performance carried early Arctic Monkeys influence which perfectly warmed up the audience for the acts to come. Their blend of indie rock vibes and classic heavy notes set the bar high for the rest of the evening.
When Dan Napper emerged on stage, guitar in hand, he had the audience instantly hooked. He doesn’t just perform to people, he performs with them. His set list was perfectly curated to keep the crowd on their toes with a variety of songs from originals to creative covers and even a little tease of an unreleased track.
Dan’s vocal range is very impressive, the way he can take his voice from lower, softer tones to upper belts effortlessly shows exceptional control. A highlight of the night that stuck out for me was his cover of The Way You Make Me Feel. This was an undeniable crowd-pleaser with everyone joining in to dance and sing along. He reimagined it to fit his own style by slowing parts down along with incorporating the sax and trumpet which was a fantastic addition. The brass players didn’t undermine him, they added texture- weaving in soul and jazz melodies to add even more dynamic to the songs.
It’s impossible to listen to any of Dan’s performances without hearing clear traces of John Mayer. His influences are present but never overbearing, adding in bluesy tones and delicate guitar riffs. By taking on this style, the band is able to work together seamlessly to add depth and layers to every song. Dan’s original songs have heartfelt lyricism- his honesty is compelling, he doesn’t sugarcoat anything which makes his songs raw and genuine to allow listeners to relate their own experiences to them.
Clemente brought indescribable power and energy to the stage from the starting seconds up until then very last note. Clem himself joined the crowd to dance with fans midway through the show- creating an atmosphere of connection and unity. One of my favourite songs from the setlist was ‘Quicksand’ which brought vibrancy and accelerated Clem’s stage presence as you could tell he was truly loving bringing even more energy to the audience.
The jangly melodies and guitar lines brought a real charge to the atmosphere. An early key moment for me was an instrumental section, where the guitars really took centre stage, bringing a standout display of skill and passion that the entire band embody flawlessly.
The night at the Jacaranda was a brilliant showcase of uprising talent with each act bringing something distinctive to the stage. From start to finish, the evening flowed with a vibrant experience- proving just how exciting the local music scene is right now. You can catch up with all three bands on social media! Keep an eye out for their upcoming gigs, if there anything close to this one- you’ll be silly to miss out.
