With over 130,000 subscribers and almost 10,000,000 video hits, the talented singer-songwriter known as Clara C is one of YouTube’s premier stars. Having releasing her debut album, Art in My Heart last year to critical acclaim, the recent UC Irvine decided to hit the road in what is her first full tour. Travelling across North America and stopping in 7 cities, the Shaking Off Silence tour kicked off in our local Vancouver!
Taking place at the Nikkei Heritage Theatre on September 23rd, tickets for the event were sold out a week prior, indicating the sheer popularity of Clara worldwide. Fans even lined up hours before the doors were to open at 5:30PM! Oh, did I mention that a lucky fan in the audience received a $200 gift card to the online Asian Fashion site YesStyle?!
After a slight delay in the stage set-up, the show began at roughly 6PM. The hosts for the night were Matthew and Jenna, both of whom were quite charismatic. In between sets, they would quickly come out to introduce the next guest keeping the flow consistent. The first couple of opening acts were local talents.
Opening the show was Monica Ponce, an 11th-grade student that performed two songs: “Advancing Shadows” and “Not Like the Movies”. While “Advancing Shadows” seemed to lack much needed emotion and clarity (could it have been nervousness?), she followed up with a wonderful cover of the hit Katy Perry single that simply blew the audience away. No wonder she opened for Brian McKnight in the past!
Next up was Paolo Manga, aka. Raiel. Performing two medleys that featured hits such as: Destiny’s Child’s “Cater to You”, Justin Timberlake’s “Until the End of Time, and Craig David’s “Seven Days”, his exceptionally smooth vocals must’ve captured the hearts of all the females in the building.
The third consisted of a duo, Mark Que and Michael Suarez. The first song they performed had Mark on the guitar as Michael sung “Valerie”, a song made famous by the late Amy Winehouse. Michael possessed such a powerful, yet controlled voice that I’m sure caught many off-guard. Next, the two performed a medley consisting of classic pop hits by groups such as NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys. The highlight of their act was when Mark serenaded his girlfriend live with “Angel of Mine”!
After a quick intermission, the Seattle rock band New Heights livened up the building with a powerful set. Touring with Clara C, the band of six years finally released their debut album Something to Believe In yesterday. To promote their album, they played their hit song “Peaches”, as well as “Nightmare” featuring the popular Korean artist Brian Joo, and “Take Me On” that features Clara C! Throughout the entire set, lead vocalist Travis Graham maintained impressive stage presence.
Afterwards, Clara finally made her way onstage to the delight of the entire audience. Dressed in a simple black tanktop and beige skirt, the singer never looked more beautiful. During her set, she played songs from Art in My Heart such as “Offbeat”, “Heartstrings”, and “Camel Song”. If you thought she was amazing in her recordings, wait until you hear her live! Many artists sound worse when they perform live, but Clara is quite the contrary. She hit every note perfectly with emotion, all the while playing on the guitar.
In addition, Clara had a treat for the audience as she performed a cover of the popular Far East Movement song, “Rocketeer”. She also played tracks from her upcoming sophomore album, which from the sounds of it could be even better than Art in My Heart!
Overall, the concert was a great success. Giving local talent the opportunity to display their abilities definitely made the night unique. Although Clara’s set was cut short, Clara herself stayed 3 hours (well past midnight) just to meet and greet all her fans, demonstrating her wonderful personality and hardworking attitude.
Stay tuned for an AX3 exclusive interview with Clara!
Managing Editor for AX3. I have a passion for cheesy romantic comedies and tear-inducing melodramas. I also enjoy long walks on the beach. Too cliché?
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