Durand Bernarr Showcases Every Facet of His Mind With His Nashville Return
Durand Bernarr packs out Brooklyn Bowl for his first Nashville appearance in two years.
Out in support of his new album, BLOOM, Durand is firmly in the driver’s seat. The “You Still Gon’ Grow, Too!” tour comes on the heels of a Lollapalooza appearance and a scattering of sold-out shows. Bernarr is also eyeing a major European run, which includes sell outs in Amsterdam, Manchester, and London. Just this past year Bernarr became a Grammy Award nominated artist, building his solo momentum after collaborations with artists such as Anderson .Paak, Erykah Badu, Kaytranada, and The Internet. All the chips seem to be falling right into Bernarr’s lap after years of hard work.
Suave, comedic, and downright charming, Durand Bernarr is incredibly dynamic live. Drawing on his various inspirations, ranging from drama and theatre, various musical genres, and even YouTube, Durand has pieced together a one-of-a-kind show. When not singing smooth, sultry R’n’B, Durand is cracking jokes and engaging with the audience. When off stage, changing into a new, more theatric, wardrobe, Bernarr plays a prerecorded comedy sketch video. There never seems to be a dull moment with Durand as he is always looking to entertain.
On the musical front, it can be hard to precisely pin down Bernarr’s sound. With inspirations ranging from 90’s house music, 2000’s hip-hop, grand pop ballads, and gospel music choirs, Durand has no shortage of genres to try on. Notably, during the second act of his set, Bernarr reemerges in gospel choir robe, only to take the audience to church with the aforementioned house stylings. He cleanly blends these to dichotomies, showcasing just how simple some throughlines really are.
Stage presence is no issue for Bernarr. Having already dipped his toes into the acting world with B-Boy Blues and A Black Lady Sketch Show, Bernarr is no stranger in front of a camera nor audience. It is effortless, Durand’s natural swagger takes over as he performs. Layer on the fact that he is one of the best male vocalists in the space and you’re in for a treat. “Overqualified” feels like a victory lap in this way, not only did Durand sound incredible, but he had the audience in the palm of his hand. This man is a performer, through and through
Setlist
1. Processing…
2. Neutral -> PIT STOP
3. First Bump
4. GPS
5. Unknown
6. Completed
7. Reaching -> Good Kisser
8. Jump -> Heads High
9. No Business/Wey U
10. Overqualified
11. Impact
12. Flounce -> When Doves Cry
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13. Specialty.2
14. (Unspoken)
15. GENEROUS
16. Home Alone
Durand Bernarr is worth the price of admission. For me personally, I knew very little about Durand going into this show. Truthfully, I was enticed by the prospect of photographing his set after seeing images from his Atlanta show earlier this year. I knew this was going to be a fun show, but nothing could have prepared me for how fun it really was. Durand Bernarr is a downright comedian, truly a hoot and a holler. His ability to not only command the stage musically, but to also engage with fans and bounce folks from one aspect of his art to another should really be commended. I highly recommend catching Bernarr live if you get the chance, I’d wager he’ll only be playing bigger and bigger rooms.