The perfect word to describe Caesar’s first night in Toronto for his “Case Study 01: Tour” would be homecoming. In the past couple of years, Caesar has sprawled from a local talent with notable cosigns into an established superstar. However, there is still arguably nowhere in the world where he gets as much love as he does in Toronto. Night one of his stop in Toronto was the perfect visual and sonic embodiment of just this; his artistry and the figurative place he has cemented himself into within the world of music.
Openers Koffee and Charlotte Day Wilson did a great job at setting the mood and provided two varying vocal styles which ultimately gave the audience a refreshingly versatile concert experience. These are two artists whom Caesar himself likes very much, therefore, it was nice to see the genuine intent for them being the accompanying acts for this show.
Once the time hit 9:30PM and the lights dimmed to have Caesar on, the excitement was unmatched. It seemed as if all 16 000 individuals in the arena simultaneously roared with excitement. Caesar subsequently came on in a very interesting fashion — with a “text-screen intro” on the jumbo-tron reflecting the visuals of his most recent project. Then, Toronto music icon Kardinal Offishall gave an electrifying vocal entrance to Caesar — akin to how basketball teams are introduced in NBA Games.
The second that Caesar touched the stage and got his hands on the microphone, the aura completely shifted from excitement to more so melodic enchantment and harmonization. It sounded as if the entirety of the crowd was singing along word for word — all the way from starting song “Open Up” to concluding ballad “Entropy”.
The set carried a variety of songs from Caesar’s extensive catalogue. The most notable moment was when his smash hit “Get You” came on. The entire arena stood up to sing along and, visually, it was nothing short of surreal. It should also be noted that he brought on Koffee and close collaborator Sean Leon which appeased the crowd greatly.
Ultimately, Caesar’s talent as a musician and performer is phenomenal and it is fascinating to see the pace he is rapidly growing at. This show proved to resonate greatly with the audience as it was more than just a good performance. It was also a celebration of Caesar himself — an Oshawa (Toronto suburb) kid who found stardom, but yet, stuck to his roots. He continues to work with his hometown Toronto team — managers Jordan Evans and Matthew Burnett and art designers Keavan Yazdani and Sean Brown — whilst releasing music out of an independent label. It is inspiring to the city to see a star that has made it so far in the industry but continues to work out of the familiarity of his own home.
The best way to describe his most recent project Case Study 01 would be introspection into deeper topics mixed with trying to understand the complexities of life. This show was able to portray these topics and bring to light who Caesar exactly is. It goes to show how powerful music as a medium is and how culturally significant concerts are.
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