The picture-perfect evening at Meijer Gardens provided an ideal setting Thursday for the Australian singer-songwriter’s impressive, sold-out performance. Review, photos.
Unfurling the Essence of a Summer Concert: Vance Joy (Photo/Veronica Ann Dearborn)
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Balancing intimacy, energy and community spirit, Australian singer-songwriter Vance Joy made his debut Thursday at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park unforgettable.
With a picture-perfect forecast — sunny skies that faded into a comfortably warm evening without tipping too hot or too chilly — the conditions couldn’t have been better for a sold-out amphitheater crowd eager to sing, sway and celebrate.
Opener Kyle Schuesler stepped onto the stage with just his acoustic guitar and harmonica. His set was a study in simplicity, the kind of stripped-down performance that forces the audience to listen closely to both the lyrics and the quiet craftsmanship of the songs.
Performing a handful of original numbers, each marked by an earnest delivery and unpolished charm, Schuesler’s harmonica interludes lent his songs a plaintive, rootsy edge, evoking echoes of Dylan-esque storytelling. Though understated, his performance set the tone for the evening — a reminder that sometimes the most compelling music comes from the humblest arrangements.
Next up was Evan Honer, who shifted the atmosphere by bringing a full band along with him. Where Schuesler’s set was about intimacy, Honer’s was about momentum. His originals carried a blend of modern Americana and indie-rock textures, bolstered by the energy of his bandmates.
A highlight came with his cover of Tyler Childers — a choice that immediately won over anyone in the audience with even a passing affection for Appalachian-inspired songwriting. The combination of familiar material and his own confident catalog helped bridge the gap between opener and headliner, warming the crowd with a more robust sound that prepared the stage for the main event.
By the time Vance Joy emerged, the crowd’s anticipation was palpable. The Australian troubadour — best known for his breakout hit “Riptide” — has cultivated a reputation for heart-forward performances that merge indie-pop sensibilities with folk intimacy.
He opened the night solo, stepping into the spotlight with just his guitar. For a few moments, it felt like an oversized living room show, the kind of performance that invites the audience to lean in and feel as though each lyric is addressed directly to them. Gradually, he brought members of his band onto the stage, layering harmonies that gave his set a swelling, communal feel.
PERFORMING A SHORT ACOUSTIC SET IN THE MIDST OF FANS
One of the night’s standout moments came when Joy introduced a new song, tentatively titled “Fascination?” The track was buoyed by a call-and-response section that invited the audience into the performance itself. As the sun dipped below the treeline and the natural amphitheater filled with voices echoing back the refrain, the song felt less like a debut and more like an instant classic, already lived-in and loved by the crowd.
Midway through the set, Joy offered one of the evening’s most memorable gestures of intimacy. Leaving the main stage, he climbed toward the top of the hill where fans had sprawled on blankets and lawn chairs, and performed a short acoustic set among them. It’s one thing to sing for thousands; it’s another to bring the show directly into the crowd, breaking down the barrier between artist and audience.
From Folk-Pop to a Cover of KISS: Joy and band. (Photo/Veronica Ann Dearborn)
Here, he unveiled “Divine Feelings,” a new track released just a week ago. Delivered in its rawest form, with only his voice and guitar carrying it, the song landed with the weight of something fresh yet timeless — a gift of immediacy for those present.
Joy’s set lasted about an hour and 15 minutes, a continuous wave of song without the conventional break for an encore. But the lack of a curtain call didn’t diminish the evening. Instead, it lent the performance a kind of honesty, as though he was more interested in sharing the music than playing the theater of expectation.
Fans hardly seemed to mind, especially given the closing sequence. According to Setlist.fm, Joy has kept his nightly set lists fairly consistent, but that didn’t make his finale any less thrilling. He tore into a raucous cover of KISS’s “I Was Made For Lovin’ You,” transforming the glam-rock staple into a folk-pop anthem without losing its high-energy punch. The audience sang along with abandon, the chorus carrying across the garden like a festival-sized wave.
He closed, of course, with “Riptide.” The ukulele-driven hit has long been his signature song, and in a live setting it remains irresistible. The entire amphitheater seemed to join in, voices mingling in unison as the refrain echoed under the clear night sky. It was the kind of moment that encapsulated the essence of a summer concert: joy, nostalgia and the fleeting beauty of a shared experience.
As the show wrapped, Joy cemented his reputation not just as a performer but as a gracious host. Rather than vanishing back stage, he handed out set lists and guitar picks to lucky fans near the front, sending them home with tangible souvenirs of a memorable evening — a mix of old favorites, new songs and surprising covers that showed why summer concerts are such an essential ritual.
For those in attendance, it wasn’t just a show. It was a shared memory, a reminder of the connective power of music, and a perfect late-summer evening etched into song.
PHOTO GALLERY: Vance Joy, Evan Honer, Kyle Schuesler at Meijer Gardens
Photos by Veronica Ann Dearborn
