On December 17th, Million Miler made his California debut at Genghis Cohen with support from Goldtooth and Brake. All of them are amazing artists. I unfortunately missed Goldtooth, but I got to capture the raw energy that is Million Miler and Brake. Both artists got the crowd excited in different ways. Million Miler is also the debut solo project of lead singer Tom Higgenson from Plain White T’s, aka the band known for the song "Hey There Delilah". The show also celebrated his album release of his debut album TV.

I saw Brake perform a while back at The Shed, and to say he’s gotten better would be the understatement of the century. Brake brings his own blend of charisma, humor, and relatability to all of his performances. Brake’s music isn’t easily defined by one genre, but just imagine Midwest emo mixed with country, alternative, and rock with a lot of ukulele moments, and you’ll get Brake. I also thought it was pretty wholesome how he put his setlist on his hand as well. His smile while performing helped make the energy of the room a happy one. His songs performed that night include "Cigarettes & Black Lipstick", "Like The First Time", "Whiskey N’ Lace", "Dear Everyone", "u jump i jump", and a "Say My Name/Cry Me a River" cover.

During "Like The First" Time, he had the whole audience clapping and dancing along. The whole audience was cheering a good chunk of the time, including during "Cigarettes & Black Lipstick". Brake is also really good at keeping the energy going even during moments when he needs to talk in between songs. The relatability of his music is the kind that people from all different walks of life can connect with. He highly impressed people who were catching him live for the first time, so he’s definitely someone you should check out if you haven’t already.

Now Million Miler, the icon for the night, completely packed the whole space. He performed his new album TV and even had this intro that felt like an older TV commercial ad. It was the kind of set that made you feel like you were going back into the 80s. His music is synth-pop with a nostalgic, playful energy inspired by the 80s. He even had a heart mascot come out at one point. Despite how packed things were, everyone was dancing. The stage was decorated to match the vibes of the set, and there were even heart balloons.

He jumped around the stage like he owned it, and his hand gestures matched the music. He performed his song "Light at the End of the Tunnel" on an acoustic guitar, which I feel made the song that much more emotional. His song "It’s All Happening" will make you feel nostalgic for the bands you grew up listening to. Even his song talking about how this girl wasn’t coming back had a playful energy to it. I really enjoyed how he kept up with the 80s TV-type ads throughout his set. One of the ads talked about believing in a strong connection, and that’s exactly what it felt like the fans have with his music.

He also brought out a bunch of red glow sticks at one point, and everyone was waving them around. The set had an intimate atmosphere that I feel like a lot of stadium shows could not pull off and lack. It felt like one big community. Even if you’re not into 80s or synth music, even if you feel no connection to the 80s at all, Million Miler is the type of artist that it doesn’t matter—you’ll still be dancing to his music anyway. Definitely a completely different vibe from his music with The Plain White T’s, but I’m here for it. One of his songs especially is now stuck in my head.

These were both sets that I swear will live in my head rent-free, and one of the best parts is both artists are incredibly down-to-earth, so you’d find them talking to everyone after the show. Million Miler even had a section where people could leave heart sticky notes that other people would grab. I got someone’s Instagram handle on one of the ones I grabbed. Everyone had a good time, and it was one of those nights that you didn’t want to end. I’m incredibly excited for what Million Miler and Brake do next. In fact, I think a Brake and Million Miler collab song would be a real big hit, honestly.