XPN Fest Recap: Zeek Burse brings unity to the Marina Stage

Zeek Burse | photo by Makena Duffy for WXPN

The Marina Stage crowd was still filtering in when Zeek Burse took the stage this afternoon, but as his powerful sound filled the park, the audience showed up — and even though it’s early in the day, they came ready to dance.

The charismatic performer engaged the audience throughout his personality-packed rock and soul set — there’s a reason he used to perform under the name “The Experience.”

Alternating between original songs from his latest album XXII and some familiar covers, Burse was joined onstage by three backup singers who choreographed their moves to each song, while he himself went for a more freestyle approach in his dancing. Burse’s goal of “creat[ing] art for vulnerable humans to feel safe when battling judgement from others” shines through in the inspiring messages of his original songs, from “BLM” (Black Lives Matter) to the unifying “One People.”

According to Burse, “We are one people, we can change the world,” and as everyone held their hands in the air as they swayed along to the music, his hope and optimism spread throughout the crowd. Zeek and his band closed their set by putting their own spin on a familiar favorite, Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain,” setting the mood for a great Sunday of music ahead.

Setlist
Placebo
Sweet Dreams
BLM
Dry
Good as Gone
Smells Like Teen Spirit
One People
The Chain