Night one: Max Frost @ The Drake Underground

At the Drake Underground, a circle crafted by instruments waits as Max Frost takes his place in the center. Glancing at drumsticks hanging near the stage front, he takes them placing a beat with the drums to his right. With closed eyes he creates a pattern that already has the crowd bopping their heads. Looping the beat it so it plays after he’s grabbed a guitar, he’s already moved on to another instrument at his fingertips.

As the sound is created, energy raises and at the right moment he takes his place at the microphone, nearly missing the queue, but catching it just in time with an unfazed calm lingering on his features. His eyes open and he scans the crowd with far away eyes before closing them once more. From Texas the songwriter/producer looks oddly in out of place in the spotlight. It’s almost as if we’ve caught him in a personal moment as he plays.

The room, it’s full but not uncomfortable. People dance as the mixture of R&B melds into alternative rock; mega fans stare up at him with adoration in their eyes. Unknown to me, I watch with fascination as one person can hold the attention of an entire room to the point silence yet, in the same moment, fill it with liveliness.

“He’s so good.” A girl yells behind, her friend nods and they both take sips from the drinks they hold close to their chins.

Part of the media pool at the front of the stage, the sways of bodies are felt, and the heat from the stage makes itself known as we follow his every movement through our camera lens. The shutters are drown out by the talent on stage and the energy circling. The night goes on like this until Frost ends the show.