In a room full of people, it’s hard to miss Sombr.
The 20-year-old singer stands out among a crowd, with his curly black hair, angular face, and impressive height (6’5, it’s up for debate). His powerful, emotive voice has established him as a breakout star in the music industry. But it wasn’t just his voice and stature that quickly boosted him to fame; it was his lyrics.
Shane Michael Boose, known in the music space as Sombr, was sitting at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 Songwriters Chart for four consecutive weeks at the beginning of this month. He released his debut album, “I Barely Know Her,” at the end of August, and he’s the sole songwriting credit on each of the album’s 10 tracks.
On Sept. 22, the music sensation kicked off his North American tour titled, “The Late Nights and Young Romance Tour,” and performed at Boston’s Leader Bank Pavilion on Oct. 8. Sombr was originally scheduled to play at the Brighton Music Hall, but his team had to change the venue twice to accommodate growing demand.
Following Sombr’s show in Washington D.C., a TikTok user named Meg posted a scathing review of his concert, describing it as “the worst concert I’ve been to in my life.” She complained that his jokes were targeted to a niche younger audience, described it as “cringe” and said she left early. The video is currently sitting at 6.2 million views on TikTok. Sombr responded to the video, saying “if you’re 25 years old, and you’re gonna come to my concert and not expect people younger than you to be there when I, the artist, am five years younger than you, it’s just a skill issue.” If people didn’t know about his concert before – they do now.
Boose began his career as Sombr on social media, posting melancholic, romantic indie music for a small community of supportive fans, releasing songs from his bedroom in New York City’s Lower East Side. In 2022, he posted his song “Caroline” on TikTok, attracting the attention of Warner Records. Just a year later, he dropped out of high school and signed with the label.
On Wednesday night at the Leader Bank Pavilion, Sombr told the story of his rise to fame to a crowd of over 4,000 people. He describes how he didn’t want to go to class in high school because people would bully him. In times of pain and heartbreak, he turned to music.
Talking about “Caroline,” Sombr said, “I wouldn’t be on stage if it wasn’t for this song.”
On his show Wednesday night, a crowd of eager fans flooded into the Pavilion’s open-air stadium. Sombr’s show marked the end of the venue’s concert season—a fact made evident by the chilling winds and low temperatures outside.
In the crowd, groups of preteens kept their phones at the ready, determined to get the perfect video of the singer’s grand entrance.
Just after 7:30 p.m., Devon Gabriella, Sombr’s opener, took the stage. The indie-pop singer played a red guitar as she sang songs off her latest EP, “The Garden,” as well as songs off her 2024 album, “From the Next Room.” Her whispery vocals and poignant lyrics earned roaring applause from the crowd, and her reception only grew stronger after she sang an emotional rendition of Billie Eilish’s Grammy-nominated song, “Birds of a Feather.”
Almost as if on cue, once Gabriella’s set came to an end, the sun wistfully dropped below the city skyline and cold winds brushed through the crowd. Anticipation for Sombr’s arrival grew to a breaking point. As the minutes ticked down, ferocious cries rang throughout the arena, with fans yelling “bring out Sombr!”
Right at 8:30 p.m., the lights began to dim and a spotlight fell on the stage. One of Sombr’s crew members walked up to the mic stand, held up a film slate, and clapped it shut, signaling the start of the show.
“We have an incredible show for you tonight, so without further ado, please welcome our musical guest, the one, the only, Sombr!” the singer said, her voice ringing out as cheers roared throughout the Pavilion.
Smoke filled the stage as the singer’s band members took their respective positions. Then, with a flash of light and the signature starting chords of “I Wish I Knew How to Quit You,” the towering singer came running onto the stage, wearing a cropped leather jacket over a bedazzled grey T-shirt.
Right from his initial entrance, Sombr grabbed the attention of everybody in the audience. He gripped the mic stand with authority, swinging his hips back and forth like the great rock stars of the past. Running back and forth on the stage, he eventually fell to the ground and kicked his legs in the air, before rising to his feet and swinging the mic like a guitar.
“I won’t save myself, I’m unwell. I’d rather take another bottle off the top of the shelf than get help. ‘Cause you’re no good for my health,” sang Sombr as he looked earnestly into the eyes of his thousands of fans.
The show’s audience was split between enamored 13-year-old girls, who might’ve just developed their first celebrity crush, millennials who appeared struck by the singer’s melodic prowess, and mothers and fathers who first discovered the artist when they were purchasing tickets for their kids two weeks prior.
As he flowed through his setlist, Sombr played a mix of songs off his debut album. His sound is unique, mixing the airy vocals of singers like Jeff Buckley and Thom Yorke, with the electric stage presence of performers like David Bowie and Mick Jagger.
Sombr’s vocals are often compressed and layered, creating a full sound to match the strength of his accompaniments. He flows confidently between his upper chest voice and falsetto, hitting a multitude of notes all without breaking a sweat.
Arguably, the most well-known aspect of his songs are the choruses. Sombr’s catchy melodies are currently some of the most viral sounds on TikTok.
In between songs, Sombr engaged in some comedic bits on stage, including playing a live dating game with his audience, where he pulled two people onto the stage and asked them to call their exes. Once he got to speak with their exes, Sombr determined which person was the “issue” in the relationship.
Sombr’s set resembled that of a vintage talk show, with a wooden interview desk, cushioned chairs, and a blue city backdrop. On the right side of the stage was a large old-fashioned camera, which looked like a well-suited prop. In the second half of the show, Sombr ran up to the lens and sang into it. His face was projected on screens throughout the venue as he leaned in for a kiss, sparking a wave of cheers and applause from the audience.
The evening was filled with memorable moments, including a quick snack break where Sombr ate a banana and threw pieces of the peel into the crowd. As he tossed the yellow strips into the hands of screaming fans, Sombr said, “It’s like composting, except you guys aren’t dirt, you’re beautiful people.”
As the show wrapped up, Sombr took off his leather jacket to reveal his bedazzled shirt. Before singing “Back to Friends” and “12 to 12,” his most popular songs. Then, Sombr’s team brought out his signature swiveling mic stand. The prop is shaped like a large raindrop, with a round bottom and a thin upper section. He swung it around, dodging it as he belted the lyrics.
Sombr’s show ended with a deafening sea of cheers, as he danced off the stage with his band members and ran off into the night.
Sombr’s North American tour will continue on the East Coast before eventually heading to California. No matter where he goes in the coming months, Sombr knows he’ll always have fans to visit in New England.
“I feel like I’m at home when I’m in Boston,” he said.