Concert review and photos: Sara Bareilles, Greg Laswell, Javier Dunn at Palladium Ballroom (October 2)

Bareilles says, “I’m gonna quit my job, and move to Dallas.” We hope she really does.

Sara Bareilles at Palladium Ballroom (October 2)

Photos by Sydney Brown

DALLAS — The Palladium Ballroom was transformed on Saturday into a room with rows of chairs and mellow music lovers – quite the departure from the usual dance party atmosphere. I guess when you go see Sara Bareilles, you want to be able to sit down and close your eyes. Opening for Bareilles was her backup guitarist Javier Dunn, in a solo set, and Greg Laswell with his backup band.

Bareilles started off the show by introducing Dunn to the stage. Dunn has a soft sound, playing acoustic guitar for the accumulating crowd. His music goes well with the coffee shop vibe and resembles an upbeat version of Damien Rice.

Next was Laswell and his band, and sound really caught the audience’s attention. His soulful music with diverse guitar riffs had a great rhythm to it. It would be perfect for a long drive in the car because the drummer keeps a steady beat, which really tied the set together. Laswell’s voice was soft yet strong and was enriched by his backup band’s instruments. The venue filled with laughter as Laswell told us a story about a hate email he received once from a bitter AMC employee who had to listen to Laswell’s song six times in one day.

Moments before Bareilles made her big appearance on stage, each member of the band came out and began playing. Her set began with “Vegas” and she dubbed in the words, “I’m going to quit my job, and move to Dallas.”

Her voice was breathtaking. We were blown away at her range and her ability to hit high falsetto notes and hold out notes for such a long time. Her band's backup vocals gave her voice a nice contrast. During her third song, “Gonna Get Over You,” she got the crowd involved by doing a snap along, and praised Dallas’ clapping and snapping ability. (Who knew?)

Bareilles was funny and inviting on stage, making us feel like we were very much a part of her set. She showed us a new side of the Bareilles we thought we knew, referring to herself as “emotional” and “weird.” When the band started playing “Love Song,” people got to their feet and sang the whole chorus as Bareilles played her piano and looked out at the audience.

“Basketcase” was a treat because the band members rotated instruments. Bareilles played the guitar, her guitarist played an accordion, and her bassist played an upright bass. Halfway through, Sara picked up a ukulele and Laswell joined her on stage. Together they did a great rendition of Radiohead’s “Nice Dream.” She ended the night by playing her upbeat song “Many the Miles,” and the crowd stood and sang along as her set came to an end.