West Michigan fans gave the onetime Grand Haven resident a hero’s welcome during Sunday’s impressive, sold-out concert at 20 Monroe Live. (Review, photo gallery)
Hometown Hero: Børns captivated a sold-out crowd at 20 Monroe Live on Sunday. (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
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The transformation from soft-spoken Garrett Borns to charismatic Børns can be at once jarring and electrifying.
The day of Borns’ much-ballyhooed, sold-out homecoming show at Grand Rapids’ 20 Monroe Live, the low-key, slightly built singer took a jog with his sister, the sort of regular workout routine undertaken by millions of average Americans.
Stage Savvy: Borns at 20 Monroe Live on Sunday. (Photp/Anna Sink)
But when he stepped into the spotlights on stage for that long-awaited concert on Sunday night, Borns made a remarkable metamorphosis that was far from average.
Amid shrieks of delight from an exuberant cadre of 20-something fans, he took on an iridescent glow, something that complemented his psychedelically flavored, electronically fueled pop which bubbles over on his new sophomore album, “Blue Madonna.”
Exhibiting a theatrical flair with which he seems far more comfortable than the tour a few years ago behind his Interscope Records debut, “Dopamine,” the Grand Haven High School grad made sure that his first West Michigan concert in several years was all that longtime fans might hope it would be: a triumphant display from a charismatic performer with a distinctive pop sheen.
The one-hour-and-15-minute spectacle – which followed strong, audience-pleasing opening volleys by pop artists Mikky Ekko and Charlotte Cardin – powered through most of Borns’ catalog, enhanced by a crackerjack four-piece band and a striking light show that showcased the singer’s fashion-conscious attire and savvy stage demeanor.
Emerging Star: Børns has sold out nearly every show on his tour. (Photo/Anna Sink)
From new songs such as “God Save Our Young Blood” and “Faded Heart” which kicked off the evening to his first taste of hit-single glory, “10,000 Emerald Pools” and “Electric Love,” that pumped up the encore, Borns had his native-state audience on a string, mesmerized by his wide-ranging vocals and commanding stage presence – the kind of artist you simply can’t take your eyes off of, whether he’s at the microphone, dabbling on a keyboard or strapping on an electric guitar.
It’s no wonder he’s sold out pretty much every show on his current North American tour, a testimony to not only the 26-year-old L.A.-based artist’s singular take on pop music but his on-stage persona.
On the same night that the Grammy Awards hailed some of the brightest lights in the business (including best new artist Alessia Cara), Borns made a bold statement for an approving hometown crowd in Grand Rapids that maybe, just maybe, this particular pop artist had been overlooked in that “best new artist” category.
PHOTO GALLERY: Borns, Charlotte Cardin, Mikky Ekko at 20 Monroe Live
Photos by Anthony Norkus and Anna Sink
Copyright 2018, Spins on Music LLC
