Three words to describe the night? Memorable, high-energy, and emotional.

On October 18, Columbus-based duo Jady had their biggest headline show at Kemba Live. This show followed the October 10 release of their album Silver. This concert was a major step for the duo. Not only was this their biggest headline show, it was also a hometown show. It was almost double the size of their last hometown headliner at Newport Music Hall, which has a capacity of 1,700 people. Kemba Live has a capacity of 2,300 people for their indoor venue. 

The fans showed out. Looking out into the crowd, there was a sea of people packed in and radiating high energy. The anticipation for the show was through the roof. Jady had been posting about the show for months, and the fans had been waiting to see what they would bring to the stage. As I stood in front of the crowd in the photo pit, I could feel their energy. That would not dial down at any point throughout the night. It would only grow exponentially. 

Singing along to every song, including the ones off the album that was released just a week prior, these fans showed up to work. They were just as invested into the concert as the band on stage. Whether it was singing, dancing, or just giving claps of support, they spared no ounce of energy. Getting to witness that kind of love and support for a band that has been doing this for less than five years was so special. You could tell this band has greatly impacted their lives in various ways, big or small, and they are in it for the long haul. Their support is here to stay. 

Jady did not disappoint. From the moment they stepped on stage, they were putting on a show. They brought theatrics, vocals, pyros, emotion and overall appreciation for being able to be on that stage. For a band that has only been playing together since 2022, it’s crazy to be able to play a show of that size. But this show displayed their hard work and why they deserve to be on that stage. The concert began with Ashton Bergdorf taking the drums and getting the music going. Then the white coffin on the stage begins to light up in the center and soon Jarrett Doherty emerged from inside and takes the stage and launches into “Reanimate”. 

The show itself felt like a theatrical experience. Everything was carefully planned and choreographed, with lighting that changed from red to green to white. Doherty changed shirts multiple times, signaling different acts of the show. The coffin on stage would glow at certain points, including Doherty going back in and emerging again before beginning the next song. It felt like a story was being told on stage through the music. He was constantly running from one side of the stage to the next, interacting with Bergdorf on the drums, getting the crowd to jump, dance, sing, bounce their hands, and more. From his facial expressions to his use of the stage and his inexplicable stage presence, Doherty owned that stage.

At one point, Doherty moved from one side of the stage to another lighting two lanterns, as sounds of footsteps played in the background. They sounded almost like army boots. All the lights were off, minus the lights of the lanterns. The darkness, mixed with the army stomping, added an extra level of anticipation and excitement for their performance of “Ghostman” from their album Napalm. And during the song their first and only crowd surfing of the night would make their way through the crowd. 

The band even did their classic “Rose-Colored Lenses” bit. Before the song starts the band slowly unveils their rose-colored lenses, bringing them up from their side. As the crowd cheers, they open them up and put them on their face. This was one of their very first songs released, so it is a crowd favorite for sure. When they catch on that this song is coming, the cheers reach a new level. Of course, many fans sport their own Rose-Colored lenses. I have yet to purchase my own pair, so I should probably get on that for the next show. 

There were no quiet or awkward moments. There were either transition videos jumping right into the next song, Doherty talking to the crowd to give tidbits about the history of the band or how much he appreciated the love and support of the fans. Everything carefully bled into the next, and everyone on stage from the lighting and tech crew, to their backing guitar and bassist knew exactly what to do.

The transition videos were awesome. They were often pre-filmed videos of Jady in various different scenarios. A common theme was the duo interacting with a ghost figure – a staple of their new Silver era.

A super wholesome moment of the night that warmed my little heart was when Doherty brought out his dad to help lead a crowd interaction. He divided the crowd in two and had his dad be the leader of one side. Each side would take turns cheering, trying to beat the other. And hIs Dad got really into it, pointing, jumping, and dancing on stage. Which caused Doherty to smile from ear to ear while laughing at how into it his dad got. 

One of the most emotional moments of the night was the performance of “Landmines”. Doherty introduced the song saying it was his most emotional and vulnerable song. This slower and ballad-like song is off of their new album. Listening to Doherty sing the song, you could hear the emotion behind the lyrics. You could also see it on his face. HIs eyes were closed, he gribbed the mic, and his voice carried across the venue. His eyes would scrunch up as he got wrapped up in the lyrics. The crowd joined him in singing along to the lyrics, helping the singer get through the song. At one point, he leaned against the microphone and seemed like he was fighting back tears. It was a truly powerful moment. 

To contrast that, “Chokehold” was an intense, high energy and insane moment. It opened with red traffic lights flashing on the stage before launching into the song. Doherty was screaming, Bergdorf was pounding on the drums, including holding up the cymbal over his head and banging it at the end of the sound. The dynamics of the song have crazy switches from low to high, and that was emphasized during the performance. As Doherty’s vocals would gradually get more intense leading into the chorus. Plus, the running drum beat built a feeling of anxiety and feeling of being in a battle that matched the overall vibe of the performance. 

The show finished with a high-energy encore performance of “Sunseekers”. Jady gave every last ounce of energy they had. They had the crowd jumping, bouncing their hands, singing, dancing, and just going crazy. This was complete with the pyro going off during the last choruses, letting out big clouds of smoke as Jarrett instructed the crowd to put their hands up. Not letting a member of the crowd rest until the very end. 

The end of the show was emotional. Bergdorf and Doherty hugged, followed by hugging and thanking their backing guitarist and bassist. Doherty also addressed the crowd, thanking them for their support and how they are only able to do what they do because of their support. They also said they would be meeting everyone at the merch table after, further emphasizing their appreciation and love for their fans. I may or may not have gotten a little teary-eyed. You will never know. 

Then, the band exited the stage, fans began to pile out, many heading to buy merch or wait to speak with the band. The magical and highly anticipated night was coming to a close once and for all. 

This was my fourth Jady show and the band is only getting better with each show. I can tell they are just getting started. They are already extremely cohesive on stage, have undeniable stage presence and know who they want to be as a band. They are already able to design a show that hooks you in and what they are able to do can only grow. Their passion and care for the music is clearly present. They are completely invested in their craft, growing, learning and getting better. Whether it was the small stage in Cleveland, the smaller crowd in Pittsburgh or this large crowd on a big stage, they put in the same amount of effort. They do not skimp on the performance. Every show is treated as if it is their biggest show to date. I cannot wait to see what they do in the future because they are not going anywhere anytime soon. 

Jady’s new album Silver is available to stream on all major streaming platforms. You can also follow the band on Instagram @jadymusic. If you want to purchase the album, merchandise and stay up to date on upcoming shows on their website.

You can also find our interview with Jady before their Cleveland headliner here. Keep an eye out for our interview with the duo about their new album coming soon!