Embracing his Geordie connections, Bradley Simpson performed to an enthusiastic crowd at the Newcastle Student’s Union to showcase his latest album ‘The Panic Years’, where he will probably mention that he has family from the area at least halfway into the show!
Supported by the incredibly talented Nieve Ella, Nieve and her guitarist, Finn Marlow, brought a comforting acoustic settlement to their set. Accompanied only by guitars, in comparison to her usual full band, Nieve’s vocals are amplified with a emphasised focus. A mixture of recent songs, unreleased and a cover, Nieve conveys her versatility as an artist, bantering with the crowd in between songs to enhance the event.
Flashing strobes of light and suspenseful instrumentals accompanied Bradley Simpson as he strutted his boots onto the carpeted stage. ‘Getting Clear’ played out as the first track, gauging the audience’s reaction by starting with an outgoing song, that marked only the beginning of an unforgettable night. ‘Cry at the Moon’ is teasing yet fulfilling, with a calm opening followed by a passionate continuation. Paired with encouraging claps and chants from the crowd, the combination sent waves of bubbling excitement throughout the room.
True to his nature, Simpson tells the crowd about his family all coming to watch the show, with even his family dog, Jack, taking a spot on the guest list, and the crowd cheers enthusiastically at that. With a perfect mix of feel-good tracks, slow, emotional songs, and ones that got the crowd buzzing with energy, Bradley Simpson knows his audience well. With a showmanship that could only be achieved through years of experience on stage, Simpson charmed his crowd with an infectious smile and talented guitar strums. Some standout tracks worth noting were ‘Always Like This’, ‘Not Us Anymore’ and ‘The Panic Years’, their impact is long-lasting, even after the show, the lyrical depictions paired with the impressive instrumentals that support his vocals are still taking up space in many people’s brains.
During one of his more emotional tracks from the album, Bradley chose to join the audience from the other side of the barricades, sandwiching himself within the dedicated crowd. With an acoustic guitar strapped over his shoulder, he began to strum ‘The Bands Not Breaking Up’, after achieving total silence from the crowd as his instrument was unplugged for the intimate section. Despite the silence, a loud clattering interrupted the song, reducing the room into chaos as the beautiful moment was embraced with laughter, before allowing Bradley to finish the song with a wide smile.
During ‘Favourite Band’, the crowd erupted. Anticipating the collaboration coming to life on stage, the already loved song became even more appreciated as Nieve Ella returned to the stage to join Simpson as the track picked up. Confident and Vibrant, the duo frolicked as the crowd absorbed the felicity and danced around with them. Nearing the end of the set, Bradley split the crowd and encouraged them to sing as loud as they could for his upbeat track ‘Daisies’. Finalising his set with ‘Carpet Burn’ was the perfect choice in my opinion. The track goes from steady, to passionate thrums of the instruments with powerful vocals. It was definitely a standout track.
Catch the rest of Bradley Simpson’s ‘The Panic Years’ tour here!
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