Review: Sara Bareilles and OneRepublic at the Santa Barbara Bowl, September 10
Songwriting Superstars Thrill Crowd with Lively Pop Rock and Heartfelt Ballads
It was a gorgeous Tuesday evening, and the Santa Barbara Bowl crowd was buzzing with anticipation for the Grammy-nominated co-headliners Sara Bareilles and OneRepublic.
Onstage first, Bareilles opened with the catchy “Chasing the Sun,” from her latest album The Blessed Unrest. Clad in a white button-up under a stripped sweater, black shorts, and black tights, Bareilles asked fans, “Do you want to laugh together? Do you want to cry together? Do you want to talk about douche-bag ex-boyfriends?” — to which the audience gleefully responded with confirming hollers. The singer then launched into “Gonna Get Over You” (from Kaleidoscope Heart), “Many the Miles” (Little Voice), and her biggest hit to date, “Love Song” (Little Voice).
Bareilles talked to the audience with a familiarity that was both foulmouthed and funny. In response to a fan screaming out for a date with her, she playfully retorted: “You want to take me on a date? Get in fucking line,” followed by “just kidding.” Then as introduction to “King of Anything,” she confessed, “I wrote this song for an asshole.” Despite her potty mouth, Bareilles was witty, charming, and engaging. Oh, and she has some of the best vocal pipes going.
Next up was OneRepublic. Although the band is known for its pop hits (“Apologize,” “Stop and Stare,” “All the Right Moves”), frontman Ryan Tedder has also made a name for himself penning songs for the likes of Adele (“Rumor Has It”), Leona Lewis (“Bleeding Love”), and Carrie Underwood (“Good in Goodbye”), among others. Tedder’s myriad musical sides were evident as OneRepublic infused its set with funk and rock, making for a foot-stomping, varied show.
Togged in a T-shirt, vest, ankle-length trousers, and a fedora perched casually on his head, Tedder exuded an energy that kept the audience up on their feet and rapt during the 90-mintue set. “This is a perfect night,” Tedder said. “The weather is perfect. The venue is perfect. The people are perfect. And I just downloaded the latest episode of Breaking Bad,” he added laughing. The crowd agreed with the sentiment. That night at the Bowl, OneRepublic had all the right moves.
Sara Bareilles Set List
“Chasing the Sun”
“Gonna Get Over You”
“Many the Miles”
“Love Song”
“Hercules”
“Gravity”
“Manhattan”
“Uncharted”
“Eden”
“I Choose You”
“Cassiopeia”
“King of Everything”
“Brave”
“Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” (Elton John cover)
OneRepublic Set List
“Light It Up”
“Secrets”
“All the Right Moves”
“What You Wanted”
“Stop and Stare”
“Counting Stars”
“Apologize”
“Preacher”
“Gold Digger” (Kanye West cover)
“Can’t Stop”
“I Lived”
“Good Life”
“If I Lose Myself”
