Bell Hits St. Petersburg
WRITTEN BY A. BENEDICT
7/6/24
As the sun set in the city of St. Petersburg, Florida, with a handful of small gatherings at local bars, all seemed fairly quiet for a weekend night. I didn’t expect the scene in front of me as I walked through the doors of Coastal Creative. You could feel the anticipation, patrons buzzing with excitement, as you walked in the door to a line stretching across the lobby. On Friday, July 5th, Drake Bell made his return to the Sunshine State and it was an unforgettable evening.
As one would expect, conversations were struck amongst fans eagerly sharing their stories of discovering the Southern California native’s talents. While Bell started career in the entertainment industry early, accolades including features in Home Improvement, The Amanda Show, and most notably Drake and Josh, his musical career is arguably just as impressive.
To kick off the night Dylan Brekke took the stage. I cannot express enough that the pure friendship and camaraderie between Drake and Dylan is undeniable. Dylan, I decided within the first several songs of his set, is by far the best hype man I have ever seen. Brekke quickly won over the crowd with some witty banter and crowd involvement. From covers to originals, this set was unexpectedly entertaining and enjoyable to bear witness to. Brekke broke out covers of Ed Sheeran’s The A Team, a “campfire style” rendition of American Pie- appropriately enough for the day after the 4th of July - and a classic Jason Mraz’s I’m Yours. Brekke’s set wouldn’t be complete without showing off his musical talent a bit further with some originals that left me genuinely impressed. Play It Cool is an unreleased tune, set to be released within the next several months according to Brekke, about being in love but how taking the leap before the opportunity passes can be incredibly difficult. With lyrics such as “I’ll be there for you more than you ever thought before” it’s a heartfelt love letter with a catchy melody. The indie-folk singer ended the night with some banter between himself and Bell, telling a rendition of the story of how the pair met. Now, I chose to mention it was a rendition of the story, as Drake himself called out from beside the stage that the way it was told was not entirely true to his version of the story. I digress, Brekke ended the night with another original entitled, Unstoppable. With powerful lyrics “Take me for who I am, I’m not gonna try and impress you”, I’d say Dylan: you didn’t have to try and impress any of us- Impressed is an understatement. Brekke’s set was nothing short of entertaining, energetic, and a demonstration of pure musical passion.
The time had come for Bell to take the stage in front of the now absolutely packed crowd, but not before Brekke, the ultimate hype man, got the crowd chanting and cheering for his friend and colleague. My spot in the crowd side stage allowed me to catch the brief exchange between the two as Brekke exited the stage, embracing his friend and exclaiming, “We made it.”
Bell took the stage as the crowd erupted with cheers and applause. You could feel the anticipation, and it was at this point that I noticed just how much the crowd had filled the room since the evening began. Drake began his set and I was honestly in awe of the sheer musical talent that I was witnessing. Bell began his set with a couple of hits from his catalog on guitar, including Ice Ice Baby and Bitchcraft. The intimate setting of this venue was honestly perfect for what this tour was intended to be- it really was just Drake, a couple guitars, and a keyboard. Simple, but an unforgettable experience. The lighting shifted as Bell stepped behind the keys for a mix of older and newer songs with nods of approval from the most casual of fans to a couple diehards in the front row. It wouldn't be a Drake Bell show without a setlist staple Make Me Happy making an appearance, and you could feel the energy from the crowd as they sang along passionately. The signer transitioned between his guitars and the keys a few more times throughout the set with hits Diosa, Hollywouldn’t, and I KIND OF RELATE, as well as a newer song Dandelion being a setlist standout with heartfelt, soulful lyrics, that you’d expect from none other than Bell. As the night went on we of course got more banter between Brekke and Bell as Drake forgot a few lyrics, but Brekke was not only the hero of the night with some google searches, but arguably the best hype man I have ever seen. To end the night the entire building was on their feet singing every word to I Found A Way. While I didn’t know what to expect from such an intimate setting at the start of this show, and figured it may have been a bit of a laid back night, the high energy and pure happiness from everyone in the room was contagious. If there’s one major takeaway I have from this show: Drake and Dylan’s musical talent and passion are undeniable. Incredible people, incredible musicians, and an unforgettable summer evening.
PHOTO BY C. TUEL