Gabe James made a trip back to Denver to play a sold out show at Globe Hall on March 10th. Fans in his home town showed out to support a local artist and spent the night screaming the lyrics to James’ newest releases like “Rollin’ Dice.” His connection with his fans was overwhelmingly apparent throughout the show. The crowd stayed rowdy and energized, which was undeniably fed by James’ lively stage presence.
Gabe James is currently living in Los Angeles, but he hails from Colorado. “During high school I lived in Morrison, Colorado, in the foothills out by Red Rocks [Amphitheater]. I could practically hear the music from my house, and I would just go to shows there as often as I could. That’s kind of the root of where this all came from for me… just wanting to play a show there one day. That’s still my biggest dream” James said about the inspiration his hometown and upbringing brought him. “And what really inspired me, too, was Ed Sheeran when I was little. My music has definitely taken a turn from that time, which makes me feel like it’s safer to say” James noted jokingly. “I used to feel like such a cliche, but I’ve moved into a more alternative place. Yeah, Ed Sheeran really got me into music. It was really from a place of, you know, it’s not about his looks or a grand performance, it’s all about the music.” James writes all of his music himself, so singer-songwriters like Sheeran have been a huge inspiration in his own journey with music.
His music journey started while growing up here in Colorado. “I’ve always been drawn to music. It’ll come to me in little spurts in my life. I have these little memories from throughout my life that come to me every once in a while. Like, I have this one memory where… I was probably four or five, and I remember sitting in my family’s cabin in Grand Lake. I would sit behind the sofa with the stereo; I just crammed myself in there while my dad played Van Halen. I grew up on a lot of classic rock. I’d just sit there and listen to ‘Unchained,’ and I loved it. I started playing guitar when I was seven. I carried a Dollar Tree guitar around with me from the time I was three, so my mom put me in lessons.”
James is adding to his discography beginning April 26th with a new EP. He is following his already released hits like his single “In the Moment” as well as his first EP “A Boy From Colorado.” This new branch of his music career is focused on mental health, being comfortable with oneself, and “just enjoying life” he told Denver Lynx Radio. “You know, one thing about me and this new project, and something I’m really working on… I’m a very anxious person a lot of the time. Something switches when I’m onstage, and I love to interact with people, but I’m an overthinker. I can really get in my head about things. I want this new EP to just spread joy to people and encourage being comfortable in your own skin. It talks about not taking things too seriously, which is a big thing for me right now. I’ve really been practicing meditation, easing out, and being present” James said, shedding light on the unseen aspects of his own mental health that go into his art. It’s apparent that James is passionate about the upcoming release, and eager to get fans excited about it as well.
Alongside playing music, James loves health, wellness, and video games. “I’m a health fanatic. I definitely got that post-moving to LA, it’s sort of the culture, hate it or love it. I love to workout, I love to eat healthy. I’m also a huge nerd, I love video games. I built my own gaming PC when I was living out here, and I don’t have a ton of time for it these days, but I still go on YouTube to watch them play games. My girlfriend always makes fun of me for it” he said about his interests outside of music.
In the long term, James has goals of playing huge headlining shows, like Red Rocks. “I have this image of myself in my head playing sold out stadium shows. I believe in myself a lot, even though I’m very hard on myself” he told us while sipping some yerba mate after the show. The fans can look forward to seeing a lot more of Gabe James’ work and performances in the near future. You can follow and support his rise to the top on all social media platforms (@gabexjames).