On a hot July 5th night in Hudson, The Park Theater became more than a venue, it became a vessel. What unfolded was a night of raw introspection, musical brilliance and emotional connection. It was all courtesy of rising soul-pop powerhouse Glori Wilder & the Moonflowers, who were preceded by the evocative and vulnerable songwriting of Dylan Dunlap.
Dunlap opened the night with a set that was as heartfelt as it was vocally powerful. Unfiltered and emotionally generous, he built a connection with the audience not by demanding attention, but by earning it.
A highlight came with “Fool,” a gorgeous, aching piece that explored the gray areas of love and selfhood. It was a song about walking into the unknown with your heart open – sometimes foolish, always brave and fully alive. With that one song, he managed to distill what makes him such a compelling artist: total honesty, rendered in melody.
Then came Glori Wilder and from the very first note, she redefined what it means to command a stage. With the Moonflowers behind her, Wilder stitched together soul, blues, jazz and pop with a sound that felt classic yet unmistakably current. Her voice carried both smoothness and weight. At times gliding, sometimes growling, but it never wavered in clarity or conviction.
From early in the set it became clear, Wilder isn’t just a singer as she’s a true multi-instrumentalist and a complete performer. During “I Found Nothing,” she stepped away from the keys to pick up her guitar, shifting the song’s energy with striking fluidity.
Not long after, she gave her band a break and took the audience on a solo detour, vulnerable and armed only with the keys and that voice. Stripped-down and emotionally bare, those two solo songs served as a quiet exhale. It was personal, potent and beautifully exposed.
One of the night’s most unforgettable moments came when she launched into a cover of Alanis Morissette’s “You Oughta Know.” But this wasn’t a sing-along nostalgia play. Wilder reinvented it, trading fury for control, rage for burn. Her version didn’t scream, it simmered to a boil and in doing so, somehow hit even harder. It’s not often that a cover outshines the original but this one did, leaving the crowd stunned and breathless.
When it seemed the night couldn’t get more original, Wilder pulled out a wildcard: the mouth trumpet. In a moment equal parts playful and musical, she emulated a full brass solo with her voice alone. Channeling the showmanship of someone like Veronica Swift while adding another surprise layer of depth to her sound, it was charming, unexpected and totally effective.
Throughout the set, the Moonflowers were locked in and textured but never overpowering. Their playing served the songs, giving Glori space to shine while anchoring the emotional arc of the night. The setlist moved effortlessly between groove-driven anthems and quiet revelations. Whether full-band or solo, Glori owned every moment.
The crowd stayed with her every step. Whether swaying, cheering or leaning into every word, there were no casual listeners in the room. Park Theater’s cozy, historic setting gave it the intimacy of a living room and the acoustics of a cathedral. A perfect match for the kind of night that asked the audience not only to hear, but to feel.
By the end, it was clear that this show was so much more than a collection of songs. It was a journey, shared in real time. Dylan Dunlap cracked the emotional door wide open and Glori Wilder & the Moonflowers walked through with fire, grace and full command of the room. A night like this doesn’t happen often, but when it does and if you are open, you can leave changed.
