March 14, 2019

"You know, I heard a rumor that Sammy is going to be here," his voice was soft and his eyes were hopeful. The lines on his face might have showed age if it hadn't been for the youthful excitement that overshadowed everything else.

It seemed like most of Mill Valley, California had heard the same news of Sammy Hagar's acoustic set. The main room of Sweetwater Music Hall was littered with lifers: the loyal subjects, the slaves to rock n' roll. They lined the walls and waited to see if the rumors were true.

When he entered the room, followed by an entourage of his wife and children, it was impossible not to take notice. He carried with him the air of a legend as he stalked across the worn wooden floor. Every eye watched him move and only the brave approached him upon his arrival.

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The tough rocker façade faded with each handshake and every praise from adoring fans. It didn't take long before Sweetwater was transformed into one big family reunion. Sammy, playing the role of public figure, smiled for the photos and spoke kindly to everyone who addressed him. But it seemed to be so much more than that. No one was a stranger. To him, everyone was a friend.

The rock star had more than played his part, but once the crowd had settled and dispersed, it became apparent that he wasn't the Hagar that everyone had come to see - Sammy was only there for support. Casually dressed in a loose t-shirt and jeans, he might as well have been sporting socks and sandals, Sammy was simply the typical father. He played a quick acoustic set that included a solo rendition of "Wide Open Spaces" from the upcoming Sammy Hagar & The Circle release, a surprise opening set for the Holy Stoned Revival Tour. His son, Drew Hagar of the rock group or S.o.S, would soon take to the stage as the star Hagar of the evening.

When on stage, accompanied by lead guitarist, Scott Manthei, who closely resembles a Viking Jesus Christ, Drew looked deceptively small until he began to play. His set began with an explosion. The thrashing of the guitar marrying harsh vocals, it could be seen right away; he's hungry. It could be read across his face, seen in his eyes, heard in his words. Although the son of a legend, he has other plans than hiding in someone else's shadow.

Drew held nothing back that night. Equipped with an impressive vocal range, the power in his performance was infectious. His voice was clear, but peppered with a roughness that was both unexpected and alluring. The whole room seemed to hold its breath, in awe as he played. Punching through every note, grappling with every chord, he was a fighter in the ring, scrappy and strong.

Drew's music could be described as an experimental sound, the offspring of delinquent garage rock and youthful folk-Americana. There is a sweet freedom that resonates in the steady strum of his acoustic guitar or in the sharp wail of his harmonica. At one point in his set, Drew called older brother, Aaron, to the stage to help perform one of his first hit songs "Dead Awake," a track written in 2016 about the changing political climate, urging listeners to "stay woke." His music and his lyrics are passionate, full of spirit, but at the same time, sincere and unapologetic. Lyrics from his newest single "Triggerman," a song examining the mass shootings that have plagued the nation, touched audiences with the haunting refrain: "I'll be your trigger man/From justice I will run/I'll be your trigger man/Hide behind a gun."

There were flashes of his performance that felt so personal and intimate. Looking past the chilling honesty in his lyrics and the skill in his music playing, there were moments when he seemed to transcend the songs he was performing. With a harmonica shackled around his neck, he was prisoner to the notes he blew. The sound could have come out all wrong, but he didn't care. Playing as if his life depended on it, the room, every distraction, appeared to fade away. It was just him and his music, nothing else mattered. With eyes closed, arms outstretched, he flew.

At the end of the night, both Drew and his father carry with them a kind of unmistakable star quality. However, the talent and the passion that is alive inside of Drew Hagar should not be ignored or written off. The minute he takes to the stage, it is evident that he's not just the child of a rock star. He's so much more.