Leon Bridges Went Big For His Birthday Weekend, Taking Over Oak Cliff’s Jefferson Tower On Friday And Then Heading Off To Puerto Rico On Saturday.
All photos by Ashley Gongora.
Fun fact: Fort Worth R&B sensation Leon Bridges has only performed two formal concerts in his native North Texas since the May 2018 release of his sensational sophomore LP, Good Thing — a de facto album-release affair at the Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in June of that year, and his hometown headlining turn at this spring’s Fortess Festival.
But, as has been the case even since his breakthrough year in 2015, it’d be false to qualify Bridges as anything less than an active influence in the area music scene. And, well, anyone arguing that point just hasn’t been paying attention.
For the better part of a year now, Bridges and DJ Sober have been regularly hosting their last-minute-announced pop-up parties all around town (and, for that matter, also out of town). Their collaborations date back longer than that, though — to at least 2017, when Sober hosted a birthday bash for Bridges at the It’ll Do.
Which brings us to this past Friday night: Before heading off to Puerto Rico with a squad of area homies to do to the same thing on his actual July 13 birthday date on Saturday, Bridges and Sober once again teamed up to host another pop-up event — this one at Jefferson Tower in Oak Cliff, and in celebration of the “River” singer’s 30th birthday.
Fueled on by libations provided by Ilegal Mezcal, those who RSVP’d early enough in advance to guarantee their way into the bash danced their Friday night away with Bridges as Sober manned the decks and provided the evening soundtrack filled with classic dance floor cuts. Per custom, Bridges even hopped on the mic at one point to perform his Good Thing track “Shy” for this in attendance.
While Bridges’ annual hometown birthday bashes might not yet quite be on the level of, say, Erykah Badu’s yearly, star-studded throwdowns, Ashley Gongora’s above photo set from the night’s revelry clearly shows that these parties are their own impressive breed, much like the Fort Worth crooner himself.
Happy birthday, young man!