Providence Welcomes John Legend For An Intimate Experience

There are certain voices that just stick with you, and John Legend is definitely one of them.

From weddings to date nights and everything in between, his music has been the soundtrack to some of life’s biggest moments. So when I got the chance to catch up with him ahead of his Rhode Island stop, I had to take it.

Legend is bringing An Evening With John Legend: A Night of Songs and Stories to the Veterans Memorial Auditorium (The Vets) in Providence on Sunday, April 26, and this one is going to feel different.

“It’s just me on the piano, so it’s a very stripped down arrangement and production,” Legend told me. “It’s really intimate and it’s all about me connecting with the audience on a personal level. I sing a lot of your favorite songs, but in a more unplugged way, and then I tell some of the stories about my life and my music that really made those songs happen.”

An Intimate Night at The Vets

This isn’t about big lights or a huge band. It’s about connection.

“It’s a real way of getting to know me as an artist, and it’s a way for me to connect with my fans,” he said. “I love doing these kinds of shows because the venues are smaller, more connected, and I get to look in people’s eyes and talk directly to them. It just feels really special.”

Photo Credit: Katie Zimmerman

For a place like The Vets, that kind of show just fits.

Yes, He’s Getting Italian Food

We had to keep it local, so when I asked what he’s looking forward to eating while he’s here, he already had a plan.

“If I’m coming to Providence, I feel like I need to get Italian,” he said. “The Italian American community is very strong there, so that feels like the right move.”

Dad to Dad: The Advice That Hit Home

I took a shot and asked him something a little more personal, dad to dad.

As a new father, I wanted to know how he balances everything at such a high level while still being present at home.

“Well, it’s not always easy,” Legend said. “We’re very fortunate to have help and people that can step in when we’re out of town, but I really make my family a priority when it comes to scheduling. Anybody on my team will tell you, I often say, ‘No, I need to do this with my son or my daughter. I can’t do that.’”

No Music in the Gym? Yup

I also had to throw him a curveball: what does John Legend listen to when he’s working out?

Turns out, not much music at all.

“I don’t really listen to a lot of music when I’m working out,” he said. “I usually have the TV on and we’re watching the morning shows on ESPN, watching them argue about sports, and me and my trainer just yell at the TV.”

Didn’t see that one coming.

And About That PetSmart Debate…

We couldn’t end things without getting into one of the most random viral moments out there right now.

Legend and his wife, Chrissy Teigen, were spotted at a rally tied to the PetSmart debate – yes, the one asking if it’s “pet smart” or “a mart for pets.”

So I had to ask.

“I’m hearing that the company is planting their flag with 'pet smart.' That’s what they’re going with,” Legend said. “I think the song and the rally encouraged them to make a clear decision and make that clear to the public.”

As for how they ended up there in the first place?

“Chrissy found it on Instagram, and it’s exactly her type of humor,” he said. “She saw they were doing a rally like 15 minutes from our house and said, ‘We’ve got to go.’ Then we saw the guy (Ben Lapidus) had actually DM’d her asking if she could come and be part of it, and we were like, ‘Alright, let’s do it.’”

Enjoy a Night Out With John

If you want to see John Legend like you never have before – just him, a piano, and the stories behind the music – this is the show.

An Evening With John Legend: A Night of Songs and Stories hits The Vets in Providence on Sunday, April 26. Tickets are available now at TheVetsRI.com.