Las Vegas Weekly

June 24, 2011 · 11:34 AM

Gavin DeGraw at Red Rock Resort: Unedited and a little Sweeter

By Nikki Villoria

Gavin DeGraw will be performing at Red Rock Resort on June 24.

In a new album promotional tour, Gavin DeGraw will be rolling into Las Vegas tonight ready to remove the censors and the restraints and give fans an unbelievable performance. “Right now, we’re just driving and going all over the place kind of promoting the record,” DeGraw said.

The platinum-selling singer, songwriter and musician releases his new album, Sweeter, on Aug. 9. Until then, it’s continuous touring with his band and pumping up the fan base for what is yet to come.

“There is definitely more style variety on the new album. The album is just a little bit more unedited than albums I had made in the past,” DeGraw said. “The album just has a lot of character, I think, and certainly it’s a lot friskier. The subject matter is a lot sexier.

Gavin DeGraw

“The performances are sultrier. It’s got more of those funky elements and intimate and sexual moments along the way that I think are what kind of separate this record from records in the past and made the album a lot more exciting.”

DeGraw performs solo at Red Rock Resort tonight. Taking the road with DeGraw throughout July and August are Maroon 5 and Train, accompany the musician onstage at his concerts.

“I spent quite a bit of time with Maroon 5 in the past, and I’ve done a few separate dates with Train in the past, and fortunately they’re two groups of guys that I happen to get along with already and have a history with, and we’re all cool.”

Photo: Pure Management Group

Gavin DeGraw.

What can fans expect at Red Rock? “An unedited edition of everything. … I think the whole idea is not getting in my own way. You spend so much of your time being conscious of what you’re doing, I think I’ve reached a spot here that I don’t want to be self-conscious in what I’m doing artistically. … I’m just kind of opening up and basically just letting it all come out.”

DeGraw’s set list includes hits from previous albums, as well as the first track from Sweeter, “Not Over You,” a song co-written by One Republic’s Ryan Tedder and released May 16.

“The single ‘Not Over You’ just recently came out. Ryan Tedder and I wrote that track. We got together in Denver and wrote that song. He was like, ‘Hey, why don’t you come to Denver and lay down some vocals at an altitude where nobody can breathe?’ and I was like, ‘Hey, that sounds like a great idea. That’s perfect, let’s do that.’

“I’ve got a great group of musicians with me. They’re all incredible and great performers,” DeGraw said. “I’m lucky I’ve found myself surrounded by great musicians, and we’re all on really good vibes. Just the way we all hang out socially, it really has added to the performance live. It’s been really great.“

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