Daniel Seavey
Article by Briana Sista
Long before the lights dimmed, the night had already started. Hours before doors opened, the streets outside Irving Plaza were lined with sleeping bags, lawn chairs, and girls wrapped in fleece blankets as they clutched cups of coffee like it was the only thing keeping them upright. It reminds me of my days as a teenage fangirl, and the countless incredible memories I made through those times. There’s something about this kind of dedication that always stops me — a reminder that music isn’t just sound, it’s community. Fangirls, often brushed off or underestimated, are the lifeblood of nights like this. They’re the reason the room felt like it was glowing long before Daniel Seavey even hit the stage.
When he finally did, he opened with ‘Waves,’ and the crowd moved as one — the song pulled everyone into sync before the night had fully begun. His voice floated steady and soft, and the space between each lyric felt just as intentional as the words themselves. The entire room swayed like the tide, swept up in the sound. As the night continued to unfold, the line between stage and audience disappeared completely. Seavey wasn’t just performing for the crowd, he was part of it. More than once he leapt straight into the sea of fans, holding hands mid-song, dedicating tracks to individual faces in the room, and even sprinting through the venue up toward the balcony — making sure no corner of the space was left out of the moment. Daniel made this night feel as if it was more than just a concert; it felt similar to a conversation unfolding in real time.
One of the night’s standout moments was when Seavey took his place behind his loop pedal — a signature part of his show where the crowd picks the song they want, and then he builds it from scratch. The amount of talent it takes to do this live by layering beats and melodies in real time was on full display as the room filled with sound, and each piece came together perfectly. Then as the unmistakable chords of ‘Iris’ by The Goo Goo Dolls hit, the crowd took over. The room erupted with voices so loud they swallowed the stage, creating one of those intimate moments in live music where the connection between artist and audience blurs into a single, shared experience.
The energy in the room ignited during ‘Fallin’ (Adrenaline).’ Seavey was completely consumed by the exhilaration, and let the song take over. The crowd mirrored his every move, singing back the lyrics with even more intensity, and jumping in unison like a wave crashing against the barricade. With ears buzzing and bodies still vibrating with the night’s energy, it was difficult to snap back into reality after experiencing live music in this way. Shows like this don’t really end when the music stops — they stick with you, lingering long after the lights come up.
Irving Plaza in New York, NY on April 13, 2025
Photos by Briana Sista
