Live: Jeremy Zucker On “is nothing sacred?”
I’ve been a long-time fan of Jeremy Zucker. He's one of the few artists I've had the pleasure of seeing multiple times. Two years ago, I had the incredible experience of seeing Jeremy Zucker perform at Terminal 5 in NYC. Last week, I was fortunate enough to catch him again on his is nothing sacred? tour.
Since his debut EP in 2015, Zucker has released four albums and several EPs and singles. The 27-year-old artist has collaborated with the likes of Tate McRae, blackbear, and Chelsea Cutler. Despite his evolution over the years, Zucker's musical essence - that distinctive "Jeremy Zuckerness" - that fans know and cherish remains intact.
The night unfolded with indie-pop artists Kevin Atwater and Sam MacPherson, as well as pop artist Tiffany Day, setting the stage. Although I only caught the tail end of Atwater's set, it was evident that he left a lasting impression on the audience. MacPherson followed, charming the crowd with his simple guitar and plaintive tunes. Switching gears, Tiffany Day brought the heat, igniting the crowd with her electrifying pop tracks.
The moment arrived for Zucker to grace the stage. Strobe lights flashed white, lighting up the stage. Entering with a blast of light, the roaring crowd welcomed Zucker. The stage design was gorgeous! Zucker emerged standing on a small rectangular platform atop a picturesque “hill” of green grass and flowers.
“i need you (in my life)” kicked off the night. Video screens on either side of Zucker projected mesmerizing visuals to accompany Zucker’s tracks. Zucker followed up with “OK,” another track from the recent EP, and “all the kids are depressed,” an early fan favorite.
Zucker's performances are a reciprocal exchange. Amidst his dancing around on stage, playing guitar, and singing, a connection grows between Zucker and his audience. This connection echoed through every song, with fans grooving to the upbeat tunes and singing along to the emotional ballads. As Zucker concluded "Julia," he allowed the audience to take the spotlight, singing the last line alone: "I'm through with ya."
Zucker's authenticity lends itself to the palpable sense of connection with his fans. With songs from brent and brent ii on the setlist, Zucker’s close relationship with collaborator Chelsea Cutler is well-known and beloved among his fans. During "better off," he acknowledged the crowd's energy, expressing, "I know, I wish she was here too."
Zucker showcased his softer emotional side on “Scared” and “Brooklyn Boy.” Starting acoustic and alone on stage, his band joined Zucker halfway through “Brooklyn Boy,” providing a cathartic release of emotion.
However, Zucker didn’t keep things slow and acoustic for long. During songs like “somebody loves you,” you could feel the love that he was pouring into his performance. Upbeat and energetic, Zucker threw everything he had into every song.
Throughout Zucker’s tour, he’s been bringing fans who have had bad days up on stage for his song “Cry with you.” New York went a little differently. “I’m going to ask for a special guest this next song…Normally I’ll ask the crowd who’s having a shitty day and bring them up here to cheer them up,” Zucker explained. Instead of pulling a fan from the crowd, Zucker called his mom up on stage. Joking about how he didn’t let his mom come to his first shows, Zucker expressed his love for his mom who has supported him in his endeavors. Sitting down with her on stage, Zucker sang “Cry With You,” tearing up at the end.
Apropos, Zucker ended his set with his song “end.” Of course, the audience didn’t let him leave so quickly. With cheers for an encore, Zucker emerged once more to play “always I’ll care.” Ending on a high note, the final song of the night was the energetic “Supercuts,” with Zucker going down to the middle of the crowd.
Seeing Jeremy Zucker was even better the second time around and if you haven’t seen him yet, grab tickets to his tour here.
His latest EP is nothing sacred? is available on all streaming platforms.
See all photos from the show here.
