In my opinion, Shane Matthew Boose is the best modern pop star to hit the scene in the last 35 years. Fans know him as Sombr, the New York native as a 6-foot-7 balladeer with the look of a glam rocker and the heart of a tender, broken 21-year-old man. On October 27, he made his Charlotte, North Carolina, concert debut before a sold-out crowd of more than 15,000 screaming fans, and my wife, daughter, friend Jeremy Miller and I were proud to be among them.
My daughter has been a Sombr fan since the first note she ever heard. Her dad, a stickler for anything but music that is at least 30 years old, was immediately impressed, too. He struck a chord with my wife as well, and before long, both Emily and Bella had become legitimate “Sombr baddies,” the term used for his most devoted fans.
The October 27 event turned an ordinary Tuesday night into a full-fledged rock-and-roll party. The $175-per-ticket price tag seemed steep, especially when the headliner did not appear onstage until 42 minutes after he was scheduled to begin. Much of the crowd had yet to fill the Spectrum Center during the opening acts, and those already in attendance were growing restless. However, once Sombr took the stage, he had the entire audience, young and old, male and female, in the palm of his hand for the next 98 minutes.
His “You Are the Reason” tour featured a theatrical backdrop recreating a New York apartment building. His music transcends time and generations. The tour’s name reflects the relationship he shares with his fans, many of whom say his lyrics have been a saving grace during difficult moments in their lives. The young performer wanted to return that sentiment, explaining that his fans had helped save his life by listening to the music he created.
“I created Sombr because I didn’t think I was good at anything, and I was not comfortable with what I saw when I looked in the mirror,” he told the crowd. “You all gave me the opportunity to find out who I was, and I do not take that for granted.”
Throughout the show, Sombr ventured into the audience, accepted gifts from fans and read signs held up in his honor throughout the arena. After the concert, throngs of people gathered outside the Spectrum Center for more than an hour, hoping to catch a glimpse of their idol and perhaps shake his hand. My daughter got close enough for him to glance toward her camera, but the thousands of people packed shoulder to shoulder made it impossible for her to get the hug she had hoped for.
Given the two opening acts, it was easy to understand why many concertgoers did not arrive until the main event was about to begin. The electronic duo The Hellp performed its 30-minute set in near-total darkness, punctuated by two intensely bright strobe lights, piercing electronic sounds, heavy drumbeats and distorted effects. The experience was so overwhelming that my daughter and I retreated to the hallway for most of the performance.
The Last Dinner Party, however, was a different story. Though their sound wasn’t for me, the London-based, female-fronted rock group impressed my wife with its commanding hard-rock sound and theatrical presentation. The band discussed its repressed Catholic schoolgirl background while embracing a rebellious image complete with corsets and wildly shaped electric guitars.
When Sombr finally appeared, he delivered the songs that had made him a star, drawing heavily from his debut album, I Barely Know Her. Dressed in a gold-sequined, open jacket, dog collar and heavy eye makeup, he looked like a cross between Mick Jagger and Jim Morrison. More importantly, he kept the audience involved with every number.
He opened with “We Never Even Dated,” followed by “I Wish I Knew How to Quit You,” “Under the Mat,” “Come Closer,” “Undressed” and “Crushing,” before delivering the Top 10 hit that helped put him on the map, “Back to Friends.” My favorite song, “12 to 12,” is the best modern pop song I have heard in the last 35 years. Sombr performed it twice, with the second rendition becoming a special moment between the singer and his audience. He encouraged concertgoers to put away their phones and sing along as loudly as possible, allowing everyone to experience the song together in real time.
The audience also chose “Dime” over “Caroline” in a show of enthusiastic support. All three of Sombr’s 2026 singles to date — “Potential,” “Homewrecker” and “My Body Isn’t Ready” — were also performed, alongside earlier songs such as “Perfume,” “Do I Ever Cross Your Mind,” “Makes Me Want You” and “Would’ve Been You.” My daughter knew every word to every song. When “My Body Isn’t Ready” came around, she screamed at the top of her lungs as tears poured down her face. The excitement of seeing Sombr onstage brought that same emotional reaction from her several times throughout the evening.
Yet the greatest joy of the night had little to do with the music itself. It was watching my wife and daughter jump together to their favorite Sombr songs. Most of my concerts with Bella are daddy-daughter dates. This one, however, was about the bond between her and her mother.
Watching Emily and Bella share that happiness was pure joy, and I feel incredibly blessed that I could not only be part of the evening but also help make it happen. We are equally grateful to our friend Jeremy Miller, who drove us to Charlotte. We know the evening would not have happened without him, either. Most of all, we thank Shane Matthew Boose, who will likely never know the four of us were there, for bringing a family together for a night we will treasure for the rest of our lives.
