By Ava Velez
On the night of November 19, the air was crisp and Autumn slowly began to fade away, and it was the perfect time to listen to A.J. Croce perform at The Wilbur Theatre.
Over 20 songs that fuse folk, soul, blues, and rock were performed by Croce and his band, some from his latest album Heart of the Eternal and others from his father Jim Croce’s discography.
A.J. Croce began performing in his late teens, and instead of embracing his father’s music and legacy early on, he sought to make it in the industry on his own. Throughout his career, he’s played with esteemed musicians such as B.B. King, Willie Nelson, and Ray Charles.
It wasn’t until 2019 that he started playing his father’s music for the public, launching his “Croce plays Croce” tour that has drawn fans of his own music and his father’s for six years.
At the Wilbur, he began promptly at 8:00, enchanting attendees with vibrant, colorful lights and video footage that was synchronized with his father’s songs.
For “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown,” an animation of the story was shown, and for “Roller Derby Queen,” clips of retro roller derby skaters were played.
During his own songs, a warm red light illuminated the stage and accentuated him and his band, composed of two female background singers, a second guitarist, a bassist, and a drummer.
Croce stunned listeners with an impromptu piano solo before he sang “I got a feeling” and “Complications of love”, two songs off of his new album.
For his audience, especially fans of his late father, the music set them into a trance that blurred the line between generations, seeing both of them perform on stage.
His encore of “Time in a Bottle”, which started in Jim’s voice and showed footage of him with his son, made the concert end with an emotional bang that left everyone amazed yet regretful.
Although his 2025 tour has concluded, he has announced a tour date on September 23, 2026, in Santa Barbara, CA, with additional dates to be expected.
