There was no “Marvin Gaye and get it on” going on at Charlie Puth’s show at the Bowl last weekend — in fact it was one of the more family friendly shows I’ve been to in a long time — but it was a fun evening under the stars from a talented, eager-to-please pop star who did just that.
Charlie Puth at the Santa Barbara Bowl, April 25, 2026 | Photo: Carl Perry
Puth and his wife Brooke are new parents and own a house in Montecito (hence some well-timed name drops for Bettina, Pierre Lafond, and other local spots) and he was clearly stoked to be performing in his home town, where he played two keyboards and was bandleader to a trio of strong singers, two guitarists, a bassist and a drummer. This stop was part of his “Whatever’s Clever!” album tour and other than the missing “Marvin Gaye” (a 2016 hit duet with Meghan Trainor), they played the bulk of the hits that fans would hope for as well as a good serving of songs from the new release.
He kicked off the night with “Beat Yourself Up,” from the new album, followed by “How Long” from his second studio album Voicenotes (2018), then another new one, “Washed Up.” “This is a very special show to me,” he said, admiring the Bowl’s 360-degree views. “We live in a pretty amazing place.”
On another older song, “L.A. Girls,” about a breakup, he said, “I was in a completely different place when I wrote this song,” then mused lovingly about being a new dad and looking a bit like a tired young grad student in a tie and blue shirtsleeves, part of his trademark “Professor Puth” look.
The clever staging had two cameras on the band and big screens on the sides, as well as projected images that made it look like they were standing on piano keys at one point, and a receiver at another. One of my favorite graphics was of Puth’s head splitting open and a whole orchestra of instruments spilling out, as the band played his 2018 tune “Empty Cups.”
Familiar hits like “We don’t Talk Anymore” and “One Call Away” got the crowd singing along. There was also an ode to Santa Barbara called “Home,” as well as the ultimate ode to Santa Barbara, when hometown favorite Kenny Loggins joined Puth onstage for “Love in Exile,” which features both Loggins and Michael McDonald on the new album.
“All the music you heard tonight wouldn’t be possible without this guy,” said Puth in tribute to Loggins. “You’re a very soulful little white guy,” was Loggins’s response.
A cover of Wiz Khalifa’s “See You Again,” where Puth was a featured singer back in 2015, was a great penultimate reminder of how far he’s come as a performer. They finished off the evening with the new album’s lead single “Changes,” a nice reflection on where he is in ever-evolving life. Charlie Puth feels like one of those performers who’s just getting started and will be there for the long haul.
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