Citizen Cope at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall

By Kristin Chambers  |  Photo: Dan Florez

A southern gentleman with a sweet, soothing melodic voice that carries deep meaning behind his words, Citizen Cope knows how to turn it on.  

Clarence Greenwood (Citizen Cope) at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall

Recently visiting North Florida in Ponte Vedra and Orlando in the middle of a huge nationwide tour, the songwriter otherwise known as Clarence Greenwood moved the audience within the walls of Ponte Vedra Concert Hall in a packed out show. Compared to the likes of Jack Johnson, his style of hip-hop meets reggae meets rock and roll has worked well for him, lyrics reciprocating the emotions in his voice as he opens into his melodies.  

Dreads wrapped in a tight bun atop his head, he looked out into the crowd, eyes squinting and smile broad as he began with songs off his new album One Lovely Day. Mixing his acoustic six-string Fender in and out with his drummer, bassist and two pianos that framed both sides of the stage, he jammed for about an hour, swaying the audience as ladies called out “I love you Clarence!”  

After taking a 25-minute intermission, Cope peered out to the crowd on perhaps a higher level, starting his second set beneath a dimmed spotlight as he strummed “Pablo Picasso” softly before kicking in an upbeat “Son’s Gonna Rise.” 

Holding his microphone out as he began “Sideways,” he watched and merely strummed along silently as voices from the audience took over, turning the concert hall into a symphony of vocals that resonated up to the stage.  

“I’m about to get jealous,” he said, shaking his head side to side with a grin, joining in halfway through the song. 

Cope proceeded with sultry hip-hop hit “Let the Drummer Kick,” halting the voices and replacing them with bobbing heads and dancing feet. After “Brother Lee,” he left the stage for about five minutes, building a loud ovation before he returned to end with solo acoustic “Lifeline.” 

Not looking as if he has been on a marathon of a tour or he was in much of a rush, Cope stuck around to lean below the stage and shake the hands, appreciation exuding from his fingertips before walking off stage with a nod to the crowd.