Concert review: Spencer Sutherland w/ Cloe Wilder and Stacey Ryan | 03.08.25, Delmar Hall (with photo gallery)

Photo of Spencer Sutherland by Laura Jerele

I had no idea what I was in for with covering this show, and as it turns out glam is back complete with air punches, high kicks, and spandex-clad, bell-bottom jumpsuits fit for a king. And yes, I’m making an obvious reference to that king, but how could I not with Spencer Sutherland decked out in that catsuit paying such killer homage to all that he must admire? I’m calling out Elvis, Freddie (Mercury, not Krueger, just to be clear), Justin Hawkins, and Elton John as the most obvious to me, with his penchant for swagger all while hitting the mark with really impressive, rich vocals that did not lack depth and feel despite all of the flash and pageantry.

I loved every bit of it, as did the well-dressed, sold-out crowd at Delmar Hall! Sutherland is well studied and has been grinding at this for over a decade, and he is now in a groove where he is truly fitting in, perfectly playing in front of an adoring crowd. I found his music to be punchy, catchy, yet soulful, and I especially loved the performance of his song “Melanie” because it was just him and his guitar, and his voice was truly beautiful while being stark. It seems like Spencer has stopped following trends; he is following what he loves and what influenced him most and that is serving him well. This show was definitely a night of showmanship, complete with dramatic pauses, a bombastic intro, a song sung from the soundboard like he was playing an arena, and it even included a guitar solo. That’s right, kids, the guitar solo is making a comeback! Please keep those Elvis and Queen covers (“Heartbreak Hotel” and “Don’t Stop Me Now,” respectively) in that setlist, too—we loved to see it as much as you loved to sing them!

The Drama World tour brought two very diverse, and very talented, opening acts to the masses. First up was the truly impressive and adorable Cloe Wilder, decked out in the fanciest and sparkliest of dresses and rhinestone boots. Cloe doesn’t feel like a throwback, doesn’t feel bubblegum, she is polished and sensible without losing emotion and approachability with her music. She had a huge fanbase here—there was quite the roar when she hit the stage—and that led to her telling the crowd just how much she loves St. Louis and playing here is second to none, with this crowd being the “best of the tour so far”! Cloe’s approach to her indie pop is sparkly and intentional and she has control of a very powerful voice with beautiful range and vibrato that’s not overpowering, but it’s still impressive. I loved her very clever cover of “Home” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros as much as I loved her song “Fear of the Fall.” She is worthy of being a headliner and I have no doubt that the next time she visits St. Louis she will be, and you can be sure we’ll be covering that show!

Stacey Ryan brought a jazz-infused performance, showcasing that she’s capable of working a stage all on her own with just her voice and a guitar or piano. Her vocal range was impressive and her songs included vocal runs while singing about men that act like boys and break your heart. Her songs were heartfelt, lamenting that she relocated to Los Angeles and misses her family, and that fuels her to write these emotionally ladened (and totally relatable) songs. She is dynamic and vibrant with a very soulful voice, especially when singing her own songs like “Everything, Everything.” | Laura Jerele