On Sept. 16, Jeremy Zucker kicked off his latest tour in San Diego. The Garden State Tour shares its name with Zucker’s third full-length album, which was released Aug. 22. The name pays homage to the nickname of Zucker’s home state, New Jersey.

Zucker first began making music in his bedroom in high school. His music is mainly described as indie pop with heavy electronic and rock influences. His band includes Ian Meltzer on drums, Alex Pfender on guitar and Todd Zucker, his brother, on bass, synth and keys.

Even an hour before the show, people were already lined up around the block to enter the venue. The Observatory in North Park, a historic San Diego theater, is unassuming from the outside, but it’s hard not to be struck by its grandeur upon entering.

With ornate detailing on the walls and gorgeous chandeliers hanging above, the Observatory feels decadent, yet still manages to make shows feel intimate. The pit quickly filled with people – most with drinks and popcorn in hand. The atmosphere was immediately electric.

The energy didn’t stop as Zucker’s opener, Sydney Ross Mitchell, took the stage. Mitchell performed alone with only her guitar and emulated Lana Del Rey with her soft, airy sound.

Mitchell followed her first number,“Dorothy,” with a confession: instead of flying into LAX the day before, she got food poisoning for the first time in her life and missed the plane. Fortunately, she was able to make it to the show with a full recovery.

Mitchell continued with her tracks that had everyone swaying along, even treating the crowd to a new song that she’d never performed before about returning to her hometown in Texas.

“First time’s the charm,” Mitchell added as she finished the nostalgia-filled song. Mitchell’s time on stage was short, yet honest and soulful.

Following Mitchell, Zucker’s production crew transported concertgoers to the East Coast with a line of pine trees. During the show, the screen behind Zucker showed a house in varying conditions, such as sunny, snowy, or with sparkling fireworks, to match the vibe of the moment.

“Jeremy Zucker is for Lovers” was a popular merch design, and one look around the packed venue easily proved it was true. Couples were holding each other close, ready for Zucker to take the stage.

Attendance wasn’t limited to couples, as many people came to the show with their good friends. One of these pairs was lifelong San Diegans Priscilla and Mikaeline. They shared that they love Zucker because his music is so sincere.

“It makes you believe everything he’s saying,” Priscilla explained. “He has crazy energy on stage and he just draws you in.”

When talking about their favorite songs, Mikaeline used one word to encapsulate them: “home.”

The homey feel was present throughout his performance. With five minutes left until Zucker was set to start, a video of an Uber map appeared on the screen with the destination set to Burbank Airport, simulating Zucker flying home to New Jersey.

Zucker entered the stage — guitar case in hand — and began playing the intro to the titular album. He followed this with more tracks from the new album, as well as an older song, “18,” during which his microphone stopped working.

Zucker explained after that he wouldn’t even have known anything was wrong since the audience was still as energetic as ever. The energy stayed high for two of his biggest hits, “All the Kids Are Depressed” and “Comethru.”

Zucker took a moment to acknowledge San Diego being the first stop on the world tour. He apologized for any roughness around the edges and explained why he chose to come to this city first.

“I’m going to get in trouble for saying this, but this is just like a much, much better version of LA,” Zucker joked.

This statement was met with a huge cheer from the crowd.

Zucker then dove into a more melancholy section of the set, filled with soulful numbers like “Navy Blue” and “Always, I’ll Care.” He even shared with the audience that right before the show, his guitar stopped working, so Mitchell lent him hers.

Zucker played Mitchell’s guitar exceptionally well, along with an electric guitar and a keyboard, highlighting how diverse he is as a musician. His voice was what really shined, though. Zucker has a silky smooth tone and puts his heart and soul into every word he sings.

One of the most memorable moments of the night came during the song “Cry with You,” when Zucker brought a fan, Adriana, on stage. He explained that he wrote the song for his friend who was going through a tough time, so he wanted to bring someone up to make their night just a bit better.

The end of the set was an eclectic mix of songs.

Zucker played “Time Zones,” which he dedicated to his wife, and “Garden State,” which featured childhood videos playing on the screen behind him. He also performed more angsty selections, such as “Pretty F***ing Tight” and “Not ur Friend.” These were a definite vibe switch, but they still felt true to Zucker.

Once the final four songs concluded, Zucker said good night to the audience and walked off stage. The lights went down and the crowd pleaded for an encore. Just moments after, a live video of him backstage appeared on the screen.

The audience watched and cheered as Zucker came back on stage and turned the camera to show the pit. It was a fun, unique way to bring the energy back. Zucker threw on a camo hat and got right back down to business.

He played through the upbeat track “Therapist,” and the vulnerable piece “Natural Disaster,” both of which kept audience members hooked. For the final song of the night, Zucker was determined to make it the best one yet.

“This is the last song,” he began, “So let’s all just give it our all, okay?” said Zucker.

Every attendee in The Observatory delivered on his request. Zucker and his band played “Supercuts” with a palpable passion, while the crowd jumped along and sang at the top of their lungs.

Audience member Ashlie Alshouse shared that Zucker had closed with this song when she saw him a couple of years back. Alshouse said it was her favorite moment of the night and that it was simply “always a vibe.”

“Always a vibe” is the perfect way to describe Zucker. His music mixes different genres and emotions, but it always feels authentic. This tour is a beautiful look into Zucker, his life and most importantly, his home.