Young And Sick: A Man of Many Titles

Chicago – In “Counting Raindrops,” twenty-seven year old Nick Van Hofwegen sings: “Hiding from the rain brings us closer than we’ve ever been.” Tuesday night those lyrics came to life. Drops cascaded down while an intimate performance inside Schubas brought fans closer to the elusive Dutch artist. Since moving to LA, Van Hofwegen – aka Young And Sick – has been making a name for himself within the music business as an illustrator. His works have graced the covers of chart-topping albums for the likes of Foster the People, Robin Thicke, and Maroon 5. Van Hofwegen’s industry connections allowed him to bring another talent to the forefront. For as long as he’s made art, Nick has also made music. One listen to him sing and you’d never guess he was once heavy into the punk scene, but Nick grabs musical inspiration from a wide-range of genres. His love of 60s rock & roll, soul, and jazz have melded into his electro-R&B. After releasing a few singles and turning down some six-figure record deals, Young And Sick released an eponymous debut album through Harvest Records in April. His newly exposed musical talents combined with his artistic endeavors have had critics dubbing him a double threat, the next big thing, and a wunderkind. His live performance proved him worthy of each title and gained another from me: “A Must See!”

Nick stood center stage. He looked like a carbon copy of Kurt Cobain with his long blonde locks and 90s grunge attire. The futuristic chords of “Nowhere” started to play. Nick softly began to sing, “Go girl, go. Take me away.” Suddenly a chill came over me. It wasn’t my sticky, rain soaked jacket giving me goose bumps; it was Van Hofwegen’s sultry voice. There was nowhere I’d rather be at that moment. To witness Young & Sick live is mind-blowing. Nick unleashes himself vocally and emotionally. His voice is soulful and sensual. He belts out falsettos like nobody’s business. His younger years of singing along to Jeff Buckley paid off. His vocal range is outstanding. He effortlessly moves between tenor and baritone. He flows from bass to guitar just as easily. No surprise, knowing Van Hofwegen recorded Young & Sick by himself, playing every instrument except for trumpet. Although Van Hofwegen could get away with performing solo, his use of a full band brought his musical creations to life. In fact, the band amplified his sound, especially with the harmonized vocals on “Heartache Fetish.”

The crowd hummed along to “Willow” and jerked their bodies to “”Valium.” Halfway through the set, the band slowed things down with “Continuum.” The audience swayed along to the beat. Nick played bass while he sweetly sang with closed eyes. When he finished and the applause died down, Van Hofwegen graciously thanked the crowd for their support. With the slightest accent, he said, “Thanks for making it through the rain. That’s very sweet of you.” The pouring rain couldn’t keep fans away from the Chicago debut performance of Young And Sick. During the opening act, people eagerly waited for Van Hofwegen. Overheard conversations revealed anticipation and excitement. If only they knew he was just feet away, watching the show from the back of the room.

The atmosphere picked back up with “Mangrove.” This poppy song brought smiles to faces, despite the dark lyrics. Bodies bopped up and down to the beat. Nick killed it on guitar and floored a few chins. “Glass” followed, creating a mini dance party. The room filled with vibrant voices. Fans sang along with Nick and his band, only stopping to take in his soulful howl a third of the way through. Nick grabbed his mic and belted out the high-note to approving cheers and applause. Van Hofwegen finished his set with a solo acoustic rendition of “Magnolia.” It was simply beautiful. Equally as charming was his interaction with fans after the show. Nick chatted with admirers while drawing them little personalized doodles. Nick Van Hofwegen is an intriguing artist and a remarkable musician. Young & Sick is one not to be missed.

Nick Van Hofwegen and his band will be touring throughout June and July. Tour dates can be found on his facebook page. Young And Sick is available for purchase on iTunes.

(Photos by Sarah Hess: smhimaging.com)

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Sarah Hess

At the age of six, Sarah Hess discovered True Blue by Madonna. This resulted in her spending hours in front of the bathroom mirror with a hairbrush microphone, belting out "La Isla Bonita" off key. Her love for music only intensified over the years thanks to her parents; her mother exposed Sarah to The Jackson Five and had her hustling to the Bee Gees, while her father would play her albums like 'Pet Sounds' and 'Some Girls' from start to finish, during which he'd lecture on and on about the history of rock & roll. Sarah would eventually stumble upon rap and hip-hop, then punk and alternative, and fall madly in love with Jeff Buckley and film photography.

After attending The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Sarah went on to study education at Dominican University, earning a degree in history. When not teaching, writing, or taking in a show, she is most likely to be found with a camera to her eye or hanging out in a darkroom.

You can follow Sarah Hess on twitter at @Sarahhasanh and view her music photography on her website: smhimaging.com.