Serge Clivio brought the 5th Anniversary show of his SERGE AND FRIENDS concert series to Gramercy Theatre with an exclamation on Saturday night! With a bigger venue and more guests joining than ever before, Serge Clivio still towered over the evening. Five years in, he has only made this series more exciting. The SERGE AND FRIENDS concert series has become a yearly in-demand ticket in the New York fall event calendar and Clivio’s commanding presence is nothing short of breathtaking. If Volume 4 saw him coming into his own artistry, this year Serge arrived as a fully-formed bonafide rockstar. Sporting silver hair and fringed leather, Serge both looked and sounded the part of a seasoned stage veteran. His opening set harkened back to early Mick Jagger concerts in the energy and force that was brought to the music. Each year Clivio improves on his vocal ability, musicianship and stage presence. A highlight of the opening set was a medley of deep cuts from shows past. Here, Serge displayed one of his greatest strengths by weaving seamlessly in and out of various genres and storytelling. A power that allows him to separate himself from many.
Joined once again by co-creator and Music Director, Mike Stapleton, Clivio and the band of nine played through an impressive run of songs, featuring some of the show’s greatest hits. Stapleton always deserves to be recognized, as his arrangements and music production are the things that help make these nights so successful. This year, the band sounded tighter than ever and the arrangements were stronger than before. Serge Clivio and Mike Stapleton continue to prove that they are a perfect match for each other. They bring something intangible to the music, making it completely and uniquely them.
All of the “friends” had strong moments, and there was proof that not a weak member of the bunch existed. Daniel Scott Walton showed off his Freddie Mercury flair in a pure joyful moment with Serge, Emily Royer’s pitch-perfect debut of a Sting song left the audience wanting a recording from her and Clivio, Alexa Lebersfeld displayed her classic pop princess stylings that audiences have come to love and Jessica Kundla and Hannah Joy joined Clivio for a touching trio of a Maggie Rogers’ classic that helped center the entire evening. Michael Mahady showed off his soulful vocals on a Marvin Gaye/Tami Terrell duet that Clivio provided strong vocal chemistry to, leaving the audience wanting more from this duo. Making his debut, Tyler Whitaker, proved a worthy addition with his impressive take on Lady Gaga’s “Look What I Found” from A Star Is Born. His stylings complimented Clivio’s in a perfect way, leaving audiences hoping for a return in years to come. Drew Arisco and David Merino helped drive home the show to a high-octane finale. Arisco and Clivio’s performance of “I Think I’m In Love With You” by Chris Stapleton was a perfect song choice and was navigated with strong and intentional vocals. It led into an encore of their popular cover of “Sex On Fire”, originally by Kings of Leon. The crowd roared, showing this was a landmark number in the history of the concert series. Merino provided a funky return in his duet of Chaka Khan’s “Ain’t Nobody.” Clivio and Merino swapped lines like two singers going toe-to-toe, lifting up each other’s performance with each line. It was sexy, cool and full of some of the best vocals of the evening.
It was Alia Hodge and the group’s take on Stevie Wonder’s “Part-Time Lover” that helped steal the show. Stapleton and company executed a complete 360 of the classic soul song, leaving the audience in awe. Hodge and Serge complimented each other in a perfect way. Their soulful musicality worked with all of the instruments in perfect harmony for these few minutes.
Through all of this, somehow Serge still found a way to be in control over the entire evening. “TRENCHES” from his most recent album SONGS FROM AN UNEXPECTED SEASON, was the most moving piece of the night. The finale saw him bringing back “Rhiannon” and “Separate Ways” – two rock classics that would normally sink even your above-average singer. Being more than 20 songs deep into the show, Clivio reached deep to pull more out of his never-ending bag of tricks, making both of these moments a highlight. His mix of showmanship and flexible voice almost make the audience forget how difficult the sets he performs would be for anyone else. Clivio handles these performances like a real-life superhero, harkening back to great rock performances of the 70s and 80s. The Gramercy Theatre is a venue that could’ve proven his limits, but this past weekend Serge not only conquered the venue, but showed that his performances have no limits. This is a ticket that should be purchased year after year. SERGE AND FRIENDS 5 showed audiences that Clivio no longer needs to prove himself. He has fully arrived and is a rare breed that one should jump at the chance to see live. This anniversary of SERGE AND FRIENDS is hopefully one of many. What he and Stapleton have built is a concert series that stands the test of time and can be universally admired.
