In the middle of his set, S. Holden Jaffe lightheartedly confessed to the crowd at his sold-out show that he almost quit music to become an accountant. Jaffe, who writes, produces, and performs music under the alias Del Water Gap, has had an extensive relationship with music, which almost fell apart under the weight of the COVID-19 pandemic. Del Water Gap was born when Jaffe was in high school and was cultivated during his time at the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at New York University — where he met Maggie Rogers, who was briefly part of his band.
In 2020, Jaffe released “Ode to a Conversation Stuck in Your Throat,” which gained less recognition than he had hoped, following the pattern of his previous projects. Then, when actors Margaret Qualley and Kaitlyn Dever posted a video dancing to the song, the ensuing exposure revived Jaffe’s fervor for music. Still, hints of Jaffe’s complicated relationship with the music industry are found in his sophomore album “I Miss You Already + I Haven’t Left Yet,” particularly in songs like “Coping on Unemployment” with its proclamation: “it’s hard to give yourself over to something when it could all turn into nothing.” Throughout the night, Jaffe expressed his gratitude to the crowd for instilling new life into Del Water Gap.
On the opening night of his first headline tour, Jaffe experimented with vocals that showcased his playfulness and love of musical performance. The show began with “NFU,” serving as a window into the topics that ground his music: nostalgia, love, and hints of self-deprecation. The song’s glittery intro set the perfect scene for a light show as Del Water Gap’s band took their places. As the crowd roared, Jaffe ran on stage donning a suit jacket, white button-up, and knee-length shorts, and I immediately knew he was not one to take himself too seriously. To me, this foreshadowed a fun night ahead, which Jaffe surely delivered. Scattered throughout all his songs, Jaffe added vocal exclamations partially reminiscent of yodeling, imbuing his music with another layer of energy that is not present in the studio recordings. This embellishment reminded me of how special and fleeting live music is. In many cases, artists do not stray far from their studio recordings, which still makes for an incredible performance. But, I particularly love when artists take liberties with their live performances, especially as the crowd sings to what they expect from the original versions, making for a pseudo-harmonization between the crowd and the artist. Seemingly improvised moments like these displayed the emotional depth and grit of Jaffe’s voice as he sang cutting lyrics that described the pitfalls of being a hopeless romantic — a perfect combination for the crowd of mid-20 year olds.
While Jaffe primarily played songs from his new album, he included hits from his debut album, which was a treat for me. Del Water Gap’s self-titled debut album became the soundtrack to college life as I explored campus during my first year. While songs like “Better Than I Know Myself” and “Perfume” were sure to be permanent residents of the tour’s setlist, I was surprised to hear the intro to “Sorry I Am,” which had been in my music rotation for months after the album first came out in 2021. Like many of his other songs, the upbeat tempo of “Sorry I Am” veils the deeper story of regret and reflection upon past relationships, making for a lyrically cathartic yet sonically energizing sing-a-long.
Throughout the show, Jaffe created a spirited atmosphere that encouraged dancing, bubble-blowing, and scream-singing all night. As usual, what makes concerts most fun for me is being able to enjoy it with a friend. Although my best friend and I were standing towards the back of the venue, we held hands and jumped along to the Del Water Gap songs that have become mainstays in our collaborative playlists, and nothing is better than that.
Image courtesy of Mom+Pop Music
