Class is in Session: Vulnerability with Charlie (Professor) Puth
Photos by Alyssa Piazza
5.26.26 - Fairfax, VA
Charlie Puth has been a household name in 21st-century music making. Gathering a mass following on social media, multiple Grammy nominations, and charting the Billboard Top 100 numerous times, he has made a name for himself, all of which has culminated into “The Whatever’s Clever! World Tour”. Just one month in, he made a memorable stop at George Mason University’s Eaglebank Arena, giving each attendee a night well worth any expense.
The venue was filled with Charlie-lookalikes, as nearly everyone in attendance was dressed in a blue button-up shirt and red tie, matching his signature aesthetic for his most recent album release “Whatever’s Clever!”. The show began with exciting renditions of some of his newer songs “Beat Yourself Up”, “Washed Up”, and “Home”, as well as fan favorites “How Long”, “LA Girls”, and “Patient”. Charlie’s engagement with the crowd drew everyone in, as he shared little details and fun facts about many of his songs, both new and old. He reflected on the writing process and longevity of anniversary songs like “We Don’t Talk Anymore” and “BOY”, making it as though everyone played a part in the theatrics of the evening.
Many concerts can feel like a simple show, filled with lights, vocals, and an overall good time. While that is okay and standard, Charlie takes it to the next level. His impressive vocals that sound exactly as they do in his songs are more than enough to carry a show, but that did not stop him from going the extra mile in production. He, alongside his team of backup vocalists and instrumentalists, stood atop a mesmerizing LED stage, which displayed an array of visuals each crafted to match whatever song he was currently singing. From a bright blue sky with puffy clouds, to his own head popping open with instruments of all kinds flowing out, this was surely a highlight of the evening.
Aside from everything mentioned thus far, there was something a little more special that was later revealed. Charlie got vulnerable, which is hard to do in this setting. He admitted that this day specifically was an off day for him, as it’s hard to be away from his newborn son and family. The decline of concert ticket sales has been no secret to anyone, and he admitted fear in that. That fear was quickly flipped on its head, as he embraced the nearly sold out show of thousands in the stands, tearing up at the fact he drew in such a crowd. The people shouted remarks of love and admiration for him and his art, which led him to taking a stand on the creation of art. He stated “I want every artist in here to know just how important it is to turn your thoughts into art” and my hope is that his words resonated with every artist there. He shared that his first concert was James Taylor in 1997, and how he used to dream that he would have his own “Fire and Rain” song, which led to him concluding the evening with exactly that, in the form of his most well known and emotional pieces of art “One Call Away” and “See You Again”. Vulnerability is always needed in the world of music and performance, and it was wonderful to see just how appreciative and charismatic Charlie Puth was in this regard. My hope is that he knows just how loved he is for his music, and how many lives he has reached through it.
