Words by Carol Wright | Photographer: Matthew Ludak
Stephen Stanley brought the fire to Philadelphia when he kicked off the second night of his ‘trustfall’ tour at City Winery. The singer/songwriter had two openers for the set: local group Jutaun, who got the crowd dancing with their songs “Higher Love” and “Grateful,” and pop duo Jake and Shelby, who are accompanying Stephen Stanley throughout the entire tour.
The ‘trustfall’ tour is Jake and Shelby’s first, but you wouldn’t believe it with their natural stage presence. The viral sensations performed older songs like “Oh What a Dream” and “Honest,” explaining that most of the messages behind their songs come from a personal place. They also performed unreleased tracks “Shut Up and Kiss Me” and “Loophole” and paid homage to one of their favorite artists, Harry Styles, with a cover of “Canyon Moon.”
There was a palpable feeling of anticipation once the lights went off and Stephen Stanley prepared to step onstage for the second show of his first-ever headline tour. Behind him, small LED screens displayed lyrics and graphics that coincided with each song, giving the crowd a unique experience, and his energy was contagious as he performed songs “The Heat,” “Your Heart,” and more. During one break between songs, he even performed The Fresh Prince of Bel Air theme song, and the crowd couldn’t get enough.
With each stop on tour, Stanley is sure to prove that he’s bringing something fresh and exciting to the Christian music space. Check out the full photo gallery below.
