About 30 students gathered on beanbags and chairs of Faber Hall’s South Side Café last Saturday night to enjoy tasty snacks, beverages and the musical talents of the Fairfield-famous Sacred Heart University alumnus singer and songwriter Jeff LeBlanc.
LeBlanc, who has been playing guitar since he was a senior in high school, is very popular amongst the Fairfield community.
“I love coming to Fairfield,” LeBlanc said. “I’ve been here a bunch of times. I’ve played in Gonzaga, I’ve played here [at South Side] a couple times. When I go to the Fairfield Theater Company in downtown Fairfield, I usually come through there once a year, and some students come out to see me, so I feel very welcome in the Fairfield community.”
Some students who had seen LeBlanc perform in previous years were excited to see him again. One of these students was Cristina Esmiol ‘16.
““I saw Jeff perform last year and I really enjoyed his performance at South Side and wanted to see him again this year,” commented Esmiol. “My favorite part, of course, was the Justin Timberlake cover.”
Favoring mashups, LeBlanc’s Saturday night performance included some of his own touches to songs by artists like Nick Jonas, Matt Nathanson and the Weeknd.
Along with covers, LeBlanc writes his own music. These songs speak to audiences on very personal levels. They vary in topic from anxiety (“Why Do I Worry”) to meeting old high school acquaintances (“Say Anything You Want”), but they all have the commonality of being relatable to a college-age student. LeBlanc is inspired by many different aspects of his life, such as his friendships, romantic relationships and even his insecurities.
His emotional lyrics include lines such as “I fear for my future / I’m caught in the past / so far from the present / can’t find the way back. / Why do I worry? / Why do I care? / Why do I waste all the time on my hands / thinking about things that I cannot control?”
LeBlanc skillfully hit high notes in both his own songs and the covers he performed, putting on a one-man show. Speaking on the joy of doing solo shows, LeBlanc said he like that he can interact and get to know his audiences well when performing alone.
LeBlanc was clearly appreciated by the audience who laughed at his jokes and cheered when he said he would play an encore of three more songs before leaving. LeBlanc kept the performance both relaxing and fun by telling jokes between his songs about topics such as mosh pits, raves, and “Teen Mom 2,” which his music was featured on.
Students hope to see LeBlanc return to Fairfield again soon, but until then, mark your calendars for the next Southside on Dec. 5 for the holiday favorite Stuff-a-Stag.
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