Bringing guitar-strummed rays of hope, British indie folk singer Passenger ushered in the last few days of summer with a simply orchestrated but thought-provoking performance at Oakland’s Fox Theater on Sept. 7.

With humble origins in busking and pub singing, Passenger has come a long way from the street musician he once was. Since the release of his first solo album in 2009, he has released hit singles like “Let Her Go,” opened for Ed Sheeran and entered the UK’s Top 40 charts eight times. This concert was part of the Anniversary “All the Little Lights” tour celebrating his 2023 namesake album, a re-release of his 2012 album with new recordings, acoustic versions and features from artists like Sheeran.

With the floor section filled comfortably and seats occupied with shining faces, Passenger walked softly to the forefront of the stage, silhouetted by golden lights. After introducing himself as a solo performer with pure guitar accompaniment for the remainder of the show, Passenger was quick to pick up casual banter with the audience, joking about the confusion created between the titles of Disney’s “Let It Go” and his own popular song, “Let Her Go.” Passenger even attempted a quick two-second cover of the “Frozen” track at the request of an audience member, then dismissed the notion and laughed, amplifying my respect for his profound ability to, indeed, “Let it go.”

The evening highlighted his storytelling with the artist inviting the audience to imagine the setting to each track as he explained its origins. The atmosphere was intimate and conversational, like having a crowd of close friends in a low-lit room narrating life’s adventures and surprises over drinks.

“Riding to New York,” he began, was inspired by a 3 a.m. chance encounter at a Minneapolis gas station. There, Passenger met an elderly Harley rider smoking Lucky Strikes that prompted the thoughtful reflection on the artist’s smoking addiction which he explores in the song. Passenger’s voice embodied a twilight car ride, watching the richest last golden rays of sun stretch across the horizon framed by pink and orange clouds. His heartfelt tone reflected both the sorrow of an ending day and the promise of a tomorrow.

He then performed a cover of Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence,” which the artist described as one of his favorite songs to listen to and perform. Joking about it being one of his originals, he recounted his earlier days as a busker and pub performer, where a young boy complimented him on his “awesome new song.”

In contrast to the previous song, during which the audience was asked to be as quiet as possible, Passenger requested all listeners to sing along to his next track “I Hate,” named after “all the things that piss [him] off.” Anyone should join “if any of this pisses you off too,” he said encouragingly to the audience, who laughed and cheered.

Earlier in the evening, Seattle-based solo indie artist SYML opened the show with what he described as a set of “a lot of sad songs,” warming up the hall with powerfully gentle falsetto and sweet spots in every register of his voice. Sharing personal stories with the audience, he explained that his music is an attempt to “try to find the good in the sad.” SYML closed out the first hour of music with his song “Where’s My Love,” grateful for a wonderfully supportive crowd that was eager to clap along with the beats. While both performers provided only guitar accompaniment to their vocals, each had a distinct way of utilizing their instruments, transforming it into the sound of a hot summer breeze in the evening or raindrops on a glass window.

Each song was a subtly refreshing change of pace, culminating in the long-awaited introduction of “Let Her Go.” Couples slowly swayed and friends sang together in groups as the theater grew closer and smaller in a matter of four opening notes from his guitar. I felt myself mouthing the words with nostalgia clouding my eyes and bringing back moments of listening to the car radio when I was 10 years old. As a child, the message of the song was less applicable. Now, as I preserve it as one of the soundtracks of my past, I see its truth: wanting something only when it is no longer there.

After one last song, “Scare Away the Dark,” an encore call reverberated through the walls as the audience sang his song back to him. Placing his hand on his chest in thanks, Passenger obliged, playing three more heartfelt songs, finishing with the second-to-last track in his new album, “Holes.”

The night was made special by the bonds of vulnerability and humility expressed by both artists, reflected in their words, faces and melodies. To quote Passenger’s last encore track, “we’ve got holes in our hearts, we’ve got holes in our lives, we’ve got holes…but we carry on.”

Editor’s Note: This article is a review and includes subjective opinions, thoughts and critiques.