One Stone co-owner, producer, and artist Elie Rizk brought the house down with a half hour opening set for the legendary Reggie Watts. Elie began by debuting two new originals, he wrote just for this show, and finished off with a few covers. Singing lead and rocking a Taylor 714 electric acoustic, bass drum, and high-hat/tambourine throughout the set, Rizk was joined midway through by Phil Peker on electric guitar and Sarah Lee with backing vocals/harmonies.

The six-song performance was filled with moments of musical bliss and comedy alike. Hand-made, Himalayan, Adam-Levine-inspired sweaters, shout-outs to Elie’s mom, desperate pleas for beverage, and a cameo by Reggie Watts were among the highlights. Rizk’s natural showmanship was on full display, commanding the audience with ease. You’d never have guessed this was his first major gig with the way he got the crowd to sing along and clap to the beat.

He took listeners on a journey through dynamic song structures that meandered through various highs and lows, wooed them with soulful, raspy vocal performances, and then shocked them with innovative arrangements of fan favorites like "Summertime" and "Hey Ya." Throw in a couple insane mashups (American Boy/No Diggity and Crazy in Love/Candy Shop) and you've got a show that people will be talking about. Even more impressive was that the crowd seemed equally entertained by the unfamiliar tunes that started off the show as they did with the classics that ended it. Back stage, even Watts was blown away by Elie's performance, offering words of commendation after not knowing what to expect from the newcomer. If last night was any indication, Rizk has a great future ahead of him in the live performance department.