Callum Jenkins Delivers Intimate Performance at Rockwood Music Hall

Photo by Manish Gosalia for Rockwood Music Hall

Callum Jenkins, a singer/songwriter based in Brooklyn, performed a heartfelt performance on stage one of Rockwood Music Hall on Tuesday, April 18. 

Jenkins, 22, was born and raised “in the mountains of Colorado” and currently has 3 EPs out on Spotify. The Spotify bio says that “Callum’s somber introspective lyrical style projects a poignant and often self-deprecating view on growing up and figuring out who they are and where they fit in the grand scheme of the universe.”

Only a few people were in the room Tuesday night, and Rockwood set up tables for the audience to sit and enjoy the music. The atmosphere in the room was intimate and cozy, and the music was soothing and soulful. It was a perfect atmosphere to enjoy Jenkins' unique style of music, and the audience was really engaged. As Jenkins performed each song, the audience attentively listened to every word and clapped when the song was completed. 

Photo by Alicia Lenea

On Tuesday nights, the ambiance in the small, dimly lit room at Rockwood Music Hall is quite different from a normal Saturday night, which has so many people in the room that there is barely room to fit everyone comfortably. Everyone has to stand because the only seating option is a few bar stools near the window and by the bar. 

Jenkins’s music was slow like a love song but had a ton of pain within the lyrics, and the singer's voice had a southern twang that made the music unique. It was different from normal country songs and normal slow songs. As Jenkins played the acoustic guitar, the audience watched every note carefully. 

The majority of Jenkin's songs were unreleased originals with unknown titles. The country twang to the music made it soft and sweet. Without knowing the song’s titles, the audience members could connect with Jenkins' style and uniquely appreciate the unreleased songs. 

Jenkins' music was played in a peaceful environment with soothing melodies, providing the perfect setting for taking in the music. Throughout the performance, the audience watched intently and clapped and cheered at the end of each song. 

Toward the end of the set, Jenkins played a song titled Chamomile Tea. The tone of the song was similar to the others, but the lyrics were different. In spite of the song's name, the lyrics were not what one would expect. It was neither calming nor sweet. As the song says, "You burn like wildfire, you sting like an angry bee, you soothe like honey, and you calm like Chamomile Tea." The whole song seemed to contrast the soothing nature of chamomile tea with the fiery, intense emotions of a relationship. 

All of Jenkins' songs portrayed hardships in life with slow honesty and rawness. As a result, the audience was able to feel just a little bit of what Jenkins felt when writing the songs. A great deal of emotion was present on their faces.

As a talented singer, Jenkins was able to convey deep emotions to the audience through the songs that were performed.

Alicia Lenea is the Live Music Columnist at The Empire State Tribune. She is a senior majoring in Journalism, Culture and Society.