Cera Gibson w/ Toby Season & Cherry Thomas• December 8, 2022• The Exchange
Reviewed and Photographed by Alisha Gregson
On Thursday, December 8th, local singer-songwriter Cera Gibson held the Release Party of her new single “Daddy” at The Exchange in Salt Lake City. Before Thursday, I hadn’t heard of either Cera or the venue, which is actually a nightclub, but I love any chance I get to experience live music and learn about local artists. When I walked into The Exchange, it felt very different from a typical concert venue. A VIP section with tables lined the room, and a small stage was centered in the middle of their dance floor. A sign advertising the night’s event was displayed, and I noticed it mentioned the dress code for the evening.
They encouraged anyone attending to wear all black or leather. I was not aware of this dress code beforehand, but all black and a leather jacket just happen to be what I wear pretty much any time I leave my house, so I was able to blend in. As I waited for the night to begin, I had the opportunity to chat with some of Cera Gibson’s fans. They were raving about how talented she was and told me I was in for a great night. They were not wrong about her talent, or how much I would enjoy the show.
Cherry Thomas
Cherry Thomas, another local singer-songwriter was the first opener to take the stage. More and more people arrived as Thomas played. She had a strong beautiful voice and did a wonderful job entertaining the crowd. I enjoyed her short but sweet set and was left wanting to hear more from her.
Toby Season
Next up was Toby Season, a musician from Los Angeles. Season stepped onto the stage with his face painted like a dog. He wore a spiked collar and dog ears to complete his look. His unique style went along with the first song he sang, “101 Dalmations.” After singing a few rap and pop songs, Season surprised everyone with a rock song. He put everything he had into his performance and had a lot of fun with the audience.
Cera Gibson
As Cera Gibson took the stage the room got quiet and all eyes were on her. As soon as she began to sing, she drew the crowd closer with her soulful, unique voice. With low, calming melodies and powerful vocals, her performance was mesmerizing from the very start. She was charismatic and confident on stage and seemed comfortable in the spotlight.
Throughout the night she never stopped interacting with her fans. The intimate setting for the concert made it easy for her to connect with the audience just feet in front of her, but I sense that as she moves on to bigger venues she will continue to make her fans a priority.
As Cera Gibson played through her songs, most people swayed and danced along, while a few also sang the words to her songs. After playing through a few of her originals, Gibson began singing a cover of Britney Spears’s “Oops!… I Did it Again.” While I was surprised by this, others in the room seemed to have already anticipated this very unique and impressive cover. I enjoyed her dark and moody version of the hit pop song. I later came to find out that this song is a single of hers that has been streamed many many times.
Daddy
To end the night, Cera Gibson performed her new single “Daddy,” for the first time. Before she started singing, she thanked everyone who had helped make the night happen, as well as everyone who showed up to support her. Her sultry new song was an instant hit with the crowd. It fit in perfectly with her other music, and I expect it will be well-loved by her many fans who have since heard this song following this release party.
After ending her set, Cera Gibson invited everyone to stick around to continue enjoying the night. She happily mingled with her fans, posing for selfies and hanging out with the crowd. Going into the night, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was impressed by the very talented Cera Gibson. I am looking forward to following her career and seeing where she goes. If you ever have the chance to see her perform live, I would recommend it. In the meantime, make sure to check out her new single “Daddy.”
You can stream “Daddy” and more of Cera’s music on Spotify and Apple Music.
For information on Cera Gibson and to follow her on social media go to ceragibson.com