AARON LEE TASJAN SHOWS US HIS 'STELLAR EVOLUTION' AT BABY'S ALL RIGHT

There was a time about ten years ago where I found myself staying up late into the night, roaming around the different music venues on the Lower East Side. It was in that neighborhood that I would become profoundly affected by the music of Aaron Lee Tasjan. Surprisingly, it took only one blazing guitar solo for me to find him post-show and tell him that he was destined for stardom. Following his career since then, with his move from NYC to Nashville and his emergence as a queer artist stamping his name onto stages across the US, I was brimming with excitement to see just how much Aaron had evolved since our last encounter.

The opening act for the night was Molly Martin, an artist that was new to me but quickly won me over. Her knack for injecting a healthy dose of humor into her lyrics one moment, and then tackling the difficulties of navigating a relationship the next helped to keep the show thoroughly engaging. With a large amount of fans in the crowd to sing along, the vibes in the room were high all evening. Martin’s undeniable stage presence and interesting indie-rock approach were showcased during the entirety of her set. A high point during her set was a cover of The Cranberries’ “Zombie,” that is wholly fitting for the climate we’re in right now. Her take on this song was so cleverly done someone needs to call up NPR to get her on a Tiny Desk performance ASAP. Two women who ran up to stand next to me the moment the song began were absolutely entranced throughout. I know I’m not the only one who made a mental note to look up more performances on the trip home.

Molly Martin

After a short changeover, Tasjan took the stage, joined by bassist Jeff Ratner, “Ramblin’” Rob Heath on drums, and Erica Blinn on keys/guitar. From the second Tasjan sat down at the keyboard wrapped in fabric that showcased his name, I knew we would be in for a night of great music with a little bit of Tasjan humor, honesty and charm sprinkled in. “Up All Night,” from his 2021 release, Tasjan! Tasjan! Tasjan! set the tone for what was to come – unfiltered rock & roll.

Aaron Lee Tasman

Aaron Lee Tasjan

Throughout the night, ALT took several moments to address the crowd about both his personal and professional journey, relating how he was afraid to express his viewpoint during his younger years at a very conservative school and his subsequent regrets. Now, in the position to call out and challenge the wrongs he sees day to day, his reckonings also turn inward. Marked by performances from his latest release, Stellar Evolution, he tackled his own awkwardness on “The Horror of It All,” as well as his past experiments and ultimate triumph over drugs during “The Drugs Did Me.” Tasjan’s ability to relate the deepest details of his lived-experiences without “bringing the room down” is a sight to behold. One of my most favorite songwriters, he captures the feeling of what it’s like to grapple with multiple conflicting emotions while remaining hopeful you’ll come out the other side a better person. As the title of his album suggests, his evolution is still ongoing, but witnessing Tasjan’s growth has been one hell of a ride. I’m sure he’ll keep surprising me.