On November 12th, Role Model played a concert in Berlin – that was his show.
When the lights go out in the Columbia Hall, you might think for a moment that Justin Bieber was about to appear. But this evening another heartthrob is on stage: the American singer-songwriter Role Model. As part of his “No Place Like Tour”, Tucker Pillsbury, his real name, is also visiting the German capital. Almost exactly a year earlier he had already played in Berlin, as he himself notes. Since then he has released four new songs – reason enough to go on tour again with his previous albums and the new tracks.
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75 minutes of jumping, dancing and singing along
Role Model opens his show with the song “Writings On The Wall” – the upbeat sound gets the predominantly female crowd jumping, dancing and singing along in a matter of seconds. This energy runs through the entire evening, because concertgoers are rarely as sure of the lyrics as they are in the following 75 minutes. Pillsbury himself also shows off his dancing skills and gyrates his hips so skillfully right at the beginning that you wonder whether he practices this every day before the show.
His stage presence is difficult to imitate: a relaxed tone, open body language and a relaxed carefree attitude that radiates pure coolness. Combined with his “mother-in-law’s favorite” image, he captivates the entire hall. The song selection should also make every fan’s heart beat faster this evening. After “Look At That Woman” and “Scumbag” things become quieter: with “Oh, Gemini” Tucker Pillsbury strikes a gentler tone, which the audience immediately picks up and sings along with. “a little more time” continues this mood – the Columbiahalle sways to the beat for three minutes.
Between drinks and dinner
Even if Role Model is the clear main character of the evening, a supporting actor always forces his way into the spotlight: the water bottle. Fans loudly ask for water supply several times. As is often the case at Columbiadamm, the air in the hall is tight, which is why Pillsbury repeatedly points out between songs that his fans should be taken care of. Only when this is ensured can we move on.
Sing-along songs like “The Dinner” and the older track “blind” are followed by “Slut Era Interlude,” a performance that highlights Pillsbury’s powerful vocals. He opens the second part of the concert with a cover of “Somebody Else” by the British band The 1975, which in its new interpretation almost seems like its own song. Shortly afterwards you wonder whether you have landed in “Toy Story” – “The Longest Goodbye” is very reminiscent of “You’ve Got a Friend In Me”. Visually, Role Model with Woody isn’t that far off either. But this thought quickly disappears when the singer sits in the beam of light with a notebook and a bar stool and sings “Something, Somehow, Someday”. He jokes that the text is too long to memorize – and so the gig turns into a short reading lesson. The performance is so honest and raw that it can make your eyes moist.
Who is “Sally” at Role Model in Berlin?
Towards the end of the performance, one question arises: Who will be the famous “Sally” today? For his song “Sally, When The Wine Runs Out”, Role Model brings one person onto the stage at every concert to perform part of the song together – sometimes celebrities like Niall Horan, Lewis Capaldi or Kate Hudson, sometimes fans from the audience. The tension is palpable, but falls away the moment it becomes clear: this time it’s a happy fan from the crowd. No Nina Chuba or Harry Styles as previously speculated on social media. “Sally” in Berlin brings her very own energy to the stage: she jumps, dances and sings as if the stage belonged to her. A moment she will probably never forget.
The same applies to the remaining fans on November 12th in the Columbiahalle. The concert ends with “Deeply Still In Love” – a final highlight that makes the venue shake again. A worthy end to an all-round successful performance by Tucker Pillsbury in the capital. The visitors leave the hall with happiness in their hearts, sweat on their foreheads and hoarse voices – there will be no encore. Apparently international artists still can’t quite get used to this concept.