Singer-songwriter Dylan Rockoff served as Cook’s opening act, who was able to warm up the stage thanks to his rich, rumbling vocals that were smooth as silk. He shared that he lives in Nashville, Tennessee, but he is originally from Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
Rockoff interacted well with the audience and included him in his set as he had them participate singing lyrics to such songs as the opener “Awesome,” “Awake or Asleep,” and his sultry version of Alicia Keys’ “If I Ain’t Got You.”
As David Cook took the Sony Hall stage, he was greeted with a tremendous response. His set included such soaring rock tunes as “Kiss & Tell,” “4 Letter Word,” as well as “Home Movies (Over Your Shoulder).”
Cook serenaded the audience to a stunning version of Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” which he sang with maximum heart, and even managed to outdo the original. He maintained great control over his voice and displayed his exceptional falsetto. Fellow Long Island singer-songwriter Ryan Star joined him on stage for a powerhouse duet of “Colorblind” by Counting Crows.
“A few years ago, when Dylan [Rockoff] was nine or 10, I was on this cable access show called American Idol,” Cook recalled, prior to noting that there are two other versions of the song “Time of My Life” recorded by the second and third place finalists of the show that season. Once he heard the song, Cook wanted to “rock it up a little bit.” He noted that he recorded the song not thinking that he was going to win, yet he told his audience: “You guys had to go and screw it up,” implying his win.
“I had this weird, conflicted relationship with this song,” he admitted about his Idol coronation tune. “It’s weird how a song can transport you to a particular space and a particular time, and I immediately go back to 2008.”
Cook delivered a stunning rendition of “Time of My Life” that was well-received by all.
His version of “Come Back To Me” was sheer bliss, and the same was true for the Chris Cornell-penned “Light On.” Cook showcased his crisp, raspy vocals on “Gimme Heartbreak.”
Cook extended his appreciation to his tour manager Darren who was running the front of the house at this show. He shared that when he met with a manager following his run on Idol, his goal was to have “10 years in the industry as a performer.” “I struggled through 10 years before that, and none of you came to my shows,” he said, prior to joking that he was close to New York, coming from Tulsa, Oklahoma. He closed his set on a haunting note with “Death of Me.”
The Verdict
Overall, David Cook was superb at Sony Hall in New York City. He had the Manhattan audience with him every step of the way. He was all heart and soul, and he appeared comfortable on stage. Cook’s live set at Sony Hall garnered two giant thumbs up. Dylan Rockoff was talented in his own right and delivered a neat opening set for Cook.
