Caleb Polaha performing live at Drom NYC. Photo Credit: Markos Papadatos
On December 10, singer-songwriter Caleb Polaha performed an acoustic show at Drom NYC, which featured his original music.
Polaha opened his set with “Black and Blue,” which was inspired by his grandfather’s passing. He shared that he lives in Nashville and that he performs in open mics.
It was followed by “Dead or Alive.” He discussed how he got into songwriting, and noted that it coincided with the pandemic. “I would mess with the guitar and come up with lyrics,” Polaha said.
The song “Maybe” was representative of how he was feeling during the pandemic. His vocals on that tune were reminiscent of Isaac Slade, the lead singer of The Fray.
After a sip of water, Caleb continued with “Mississippi Moon,” which is about longing. He displayed his John Mayer-esque gravely voce on that song, and immediately broke into “Wild Wind,” which had a lot of yearning going on.
He went on to dedicate “Yeehaw Junction” to his grandparents, and he introduced the “Love Songs” portion of the show with “The Whole Night.” Caleb is the oldest son of Hallmark star Kristoffer Polaha, who just starred in “The Shift.”
Polaha also sang “Happy Birthday” to Taylor, one of his friends, and the audience joined him on that song. It was followed by “Fallen Angels,” which had a neat echo effect to it.
Polaha introduced his mentor, Gezim Gashi, who was in the audience and sang “Whirlwind.” It was followed by his country western song “Ride On,” and “Fade Out.”
He went on to dedicate “Life and Soul” to his younger brother, Micah Max, who in return, got emotional over Caleb’s execution and delivery of the song.
“I don’t know what I was feeling when I wrote the next two songs but I like them,” Polaha said, and sat down and performed “Brand New Song” and “Up the Wall” while sitting on a stool.
He acknowledged that the girl that he wrote all of those love songs was the same one that inspired the subsequent break-up songs, however, it is all a part of life.
“This was a great way to get it all out,” he said, and continued with “Don’t Take It From Me,” “I Hate The Way I Love You,” and “Sweet Nothings”
After “In The Night,” he closed on a fitting note with a holiday song.
Speaking of “In The Night,” he expressed that this was the most recent song he wrote and finished, and that he is proud of it.
The Verdict
Overall, it was a pleasant evening of acoustic music by Caleb Polaha at Drom NYC. Despite being slightly under the weather, he was still able to deliver, and sounded well live, as he showcases his rich, rumbling vocals. It is evident that talent runs in Caleb’s bloodline.
This intimate acoustic show was a neat introduction to his craft and artistry to the Big Apple audience. His Drom NYC performance was well-received, and his father, Kristoffer, was beaming with pride, as was the entire family.
Hopefully, this is a harbinger of more quality music to come from Caleb Polaha in the future.
Caleb Polaha’s new music is available on Apple Music.
To learn more about singer-songwriter Caleb Polaha, follow him on Instagram and Twitter.