Charlie Puth’s Whatever’s Clever! tour speaks for itself at Starlight

3 hours ago

Eleanor Leslie, Daniel Fuchs,

Charlie Puth. // photo by Daniel Fuchs

Charlie Puth
With Ally Salort and Daniel Seavey
Starlight Theater
Wednesday, May 13

Touring in support of his fourth studio album Whatever’s Clever! Charlie Puth stunned at the Starlight Theater, Wednesday, May 13, with a candid performance and powerful, raw vocals.

Quickly following the release of his 2022 album, Charlie, Whatever’s Clever! continues Puth’s trend of releasing reliable pop sensations. The album came out in March of 2026, and the tour, including almost 50 dates all over North America and Europe, brought Puth back to Kansas City for the first time in eight years.

Ally Salort. // photo by Daniel Fuchs

Opener Ally Salort began her set with the confident and introspective song “Pretty Face” from her 2025 EP Change of Plans, along with a mesmerizing cover, which I loved, of “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls. Salort was more than an average opener, quickly gaining the audience’s attention and support, running the stage with her alt-pop momentum and high-energy performance, accompanied by the rhythmic punch of the drums. Salort closed off her part of the show with one of her newest singles, “I’ve Never Met Her,” a song about personal growth, with a catchy chorus.

Daniel Seavey. // photo by Daniel Fuchs

In addition to Salort, Daniel Seavey was also able to join us after a brief break. I’m a sucker for instrumental rock, and I was immediately gripped by the sound of Seavey’s first song, “Blame It On You.” I could feel the deep hum of the cello in my lungs. He built the song using a looper pedal, layering his own instrumentals on top of one another, with a truly amazing result. He later used this technique again, challenging the audience that he could build any song this way, even if he did not know it. After some back and forth with the audience, he chose “Take Me To Church” by Hozier, which he executed by memory perfectly.

In all honesty, I loved Seavey and would have listened to him for hours, but the star of the show was due to come on.

Charlie Puth. // photo by Daniel Fuchs

I associate Charlie Puth with the 2010s. His first major hits, “See You Again” and “We Don’t Talk Anymore” from his first studio album Nine Track Mind, came out around that time, and even a decade later, are still some of his most-streamed songs of all time.

One thing the radio cannot replicate, though, are the raw vocals that Puth carries throughout his discography. He started his set with “Beat Yourself Up,” a song from his new album, which is a more upbeat, silky ballad, supported with talented female backup singers.

He shifted from his newer album to some of his older work with a charismatic smile, mainly the album Voicenotes, my personal favorite, which was released in 2018, and contains some of his biggest hits.

Puth remarked in between his improvised falsetto riffs: “Songs can be time capsules, and they are also–I believe–art, and forms of it are living and breathing, meaning they change over time.”

Charlie Puth. // photo by Daniel Fuchs

Puth’s sweet remarks took him back to the place that he was 10 years ago–a newer artist, signing record deals, and figuring out his place in the world. In a cathartic twist, he transitioned into playing one of his older songs, “We Don’t Talk Anymore,” accompanied by a lyrical projection for one of the more upbeat parts of the whole evening, and the biggest for crowd interaction. It was a welcome tonal shift that was carried into his other hits, “Attention” and “One Call Away”.

Puth remarked that he dislikes the idea of an encore, before moving onward to end with “See You Again,” the song that jump-started his career. He pulled it off gracefully, letting his fingers glide across the piano keys one last time before we had to part.

All photos by Daniel Fuchs

Charlie Puth

Charlie Puth setlist
Beat Yourself Up
How Long
Washed Up
LA Girls
Empty Cups
Home
Cry
Patient
Sideways
We Don’t Talk Anymore
BOY
Reply to This
Attention
Cheating on You
Love in Exile
One Call Away
See You Again (Wiz Khalifa cover)
Changes