Jeremy Zucker Brings the Garden State to Minneapolis

October 12, 2025 @ Varsity Theater, Minneapolis, MN

On a rainy October night, Jeremy Zucker performed at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His Welcome to the Garden State Tour spans from August into December.

Bebe Stockwell opened up the night with her melodic and soft vocals. The vibe felt immediately right for a Jeremy Zucker show, and I knew he picked a good opener. Stockwell's lyrics are sharp and cutting. Her songs cover topics like love and loss, which also resonated well with Zucker's music. She gathers her inspiration from various forms of media. One of her songs was inspired by the movie Call Me By Your Name, and it shares a title with it.

In the middle of her setlist, she got the crowd singing with a beautiful cover of "Home" by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. I was blown away by Stockwell's vocal ability and her vulnerability with the crowd. I spent much of her set watching in awe, and the other fans in attendance were doing the same. She noted we were a really attentive crowd, which always seems to be the case when I'm at Varsity Theater.

Jeremy Zucker was on show four of a four-day-in-a-row run of concerts. Coming into the night, I assumed his voice or his energy might be understandably a bit lower. I couldn't have been more wrong. Zucker came crashing through onto the stage and completed an early run of high-energy songs, including "18" and "all the kids are depressed." These are two of my favorite songs of his that I've been waiting to hear live, and it was incredibly rewarding to listen to them live.

As it turned out, Zucker was also fearful his voice would give out during this run of four shows. Luckily for everyone, that was not the case. During the night, he expressed feeling so much more energy than he thought imaginable.

Zucker's latest album, Garden State, is an homage to his hometown and a love letter to the child he was growing up. This emotional reckoning is one that everyone can relate to. Home, whether a place or an idea, can trigger all sorts of memories. Now that Zucker is about to be a father, it makes sense these emotions are coming to the forefront as he thinks about how he wants to raise a child.

Tapping into that more vulnerable side, Zucker played "splinter," "letting go," and "always, I'll care" with quiet contemplation. Tears were shed from fans in the crowd during "always I'll care" (or maybe that was just me), and being able to let go of all those emotions through song was cathartic.

The New Jersey native spent time chatting with the crowd in between songs. His energy was contagious, and anyone could see how happy he was to be on that stage. He didn't take one moment for granted. Another highlight of the night was when he played, "brooklyn boy" into "this is how you fall in love." To me, both songs are soft, yet powerful. They explore all the different aspects of falling in love and finding that person you want to be with forever.

Zucker's setlist included old and new songs alike, tapping into every aspect of his discography. His show ended with one of his most recognizable songs, "supercuts." This show was everything I could've wanted and more. It was the perfect setlist and vibe for a rainy night.