Wild Love For James Bay At The London Palladium

by | May 29, 2019

Just before heading off to support Ed Sheeran on yet another leg of his never-ending Divide tour – that man really puts the “world” in World Tour – James Bay played a one-off headline show at the London Palladium. “I wanted to play a special, historic London venue for my fans at home before heading out on tour with Ed over the summer,” said Bay back when he announced the show.

The last time I’d seen him live was about three years ago, in a very sober arena, standing in a crowd of mostly teenage girls who shouted the occasional “I love you, James” during quiet intervals. The London Palladium was definitely a change with its beautiful architecture that made me feel like I was about to watch a musical rather than a rock concert. I was starting to feel a little underdressed, but then I spotted a middle-aged man wearing a “Bay is bae” cap. He’s not wrong. He also highlights the breadth of Bay’s appeal, the crowd ranging from young adults to people who could be their parents, and every age in between, all spotted wearing merch as well.

The support slot was taken on by Bay’s older brother Alex Francis, making this a family reunion as well as a hometown show. I want to avoid drawing too many comparisons between the siblings – the one true family trait is talent – but they have a similar style, and even though I wasn’t familiar with his work, I thoroughly enjoyed his set. From the first note, Francis managed to get the crowd going with his raspy, yet emotional, voice and honest, captivating lyrics such as “If you don’t want my heart, give it back. I could be someone else if I had it.”

He played his new single Whatever Happened, as well as Somewhere In Memory and All I’ve Got. With no standing area available, I hadn’t expected people to actually stand up, but by the end of the set, many were on their feet. Francis did what he needed to do; he got the crowd up and ready to enjoy the rest of the evening. It’s truly a shame not everyone got there on time to see him play, but I’m certain he gained some new fans, e.g., yours truly.

When James Bay finally took the stage and opened the set with sophomore album single Pink Lemonade everyone on the ground floor was on their feet, as well as some on the balcony. From that point on, the show bounced from one highlight to another. After Chaos And The Calm opener Craving, Bay addressed the crowd for the first time with one simple request: to sing as loudly as we possibly could. Everyone happily obliged, and at the end of If You Ever Wanna Be In Love, when the band had stopped playing, it was just Bay, the crowd, and the amazing acoustics of the room.

Bay slowed down proceedings next with songs such as Wild Love, Peer Pressure, and Us, after which he treated the crowd to a song he hadn’t played at all in 2018: Fade Out. It must be stated that the songs from Electric Light sound even better live than they do on the album, which is more electronic-driven. Live, Bay’s voice has a chance to come into its own rather than get somewhat lost in the production as on the album.

The band left the stage for Bay to deliver a solo rendition of Break My Heart Right, another of the songs on his new EP My Messy Mind, going on to explain how much he loves putting out new music whenever he can and feeling that after Electric Light, he still had more he wanted to say. He joked that the only difficulty was trying to remember the words to new songs when he plays them live.

Break My Heart Right got the second loudest applause of the evening, trumped only by the song that followed immediately after, first single Let It Go. I don’t think anyone saw it coming when he brought out Lewis Capaldi to sing along after the first chorus, the crowd going absolutely crazy, the screaming so loud that I’m not sure anyone even heard the first words Capaldi sang. Halfway through the song, they mixed it up with Capaldi’s monster hit Someone You Loved. Capaldi and Bay’s voices blended wonderfully to conclude the song – the full video of which is available on Bay’s YouTube channel.

The band returned to the stage to speed things up with We Were On Fire and Get Out While You Can before the set was closed out with Best Fake Smile. Of course, this was only for Bay to return for the encore, where he tackled Bad accompanied only by his guitar. A cover of Janis Joplin’s Piece Of My Heart followed before the evening ended with the 2015 Grammy-nominated Best Rock Song, Hold Back The River.

It’s always a joy to watch James Bay play. His passion and talent are evident and even the prolonged guitar solos kept the crowd mesmerised. Bay doesn’t need confetti or fireworks to make a spectacle, although I must admit the lighting show did an amazing job at setting the mood throughout the night.

For everyone seeing Ed Sheeran on tour this summer, I can definitely recommend going down early to catch Bay’s set. You won’t regret it.

Review of James Bay at The London Palladium on 22nd May 2019 by Silke Roegiers and photography by James Boardman.

 

The Sun Shines On Roger Hodgson At The Royal Albert Hall

Skunk Anansie @ Glastonbury Festival 2022 (Kalpesh Patel)

Skunk Anansie Unveil Powerful Visual For Deeply Personal New Single ‘Shame’

British rock legends Skunk Anansie have released a striking new video for their latest single Shame, a raw and emotional track that sees frontwoman Skin dive deep into her own past, confronting complex family dynamics and personal identity with unflinching honesty.

Sabrina Carpenter @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Jordan Curtis Hughes / Alfredo Flores)

An Explosive Sabrina Carpenter Show Keeps Drenched London Warm At BST Hyde Park 2025

“Hey London, how you doing? My name’s Sabrina — what’s your name?”. There is a daft cacophony of replies, that shows...
Matt Cameron of Pearl Jam @ BST Hyde Park 2022 (Simon Reed)

Matt Cameron Departs Pearl Jam After 27 Years Amidst Wave Of Drummer Changes In Rock

After nearly three decades behind the kit, Matt Cameron has announced his departure from Pearl Jam. The legendary drummer, 62, shared the news via social media on 7th July, marking the end of a 27‑year tenure that began in 1998. His departure comes in the wake of the band’s Dark Matter World Tour, which concluded earlier this year.

Sydney Rose @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Kalpesh Patel)

Sydney Rose Shines In Mid-Afternoon Magic On The Rainbow Stage At BST Hyde Park 2025

While headliner Noah Kahan was preparing to command the Great Oak Stage later in the evening, over on the Rainbow Stage a quieter but equally stirring performance was unfolding under the soft mid-afternoon sun. Georgia-born singer-songwriter Sydney Rose brought her headline tour to a moving finale, wrapping her journey in heartfelt lyrics and gently fierce vocals that captivated a festival crowd seeking intimacy amid the day’s growing energy.

Gigi Perez @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Kalpesh Patel)

Gigi Perez Captivates London With Raw Emotion And Rising-Star Power At BST Hyde Park 2025

At just 25 years old, Gigi Perez has already carved out a reputation as one of indie-pop’s most compelling new voices — and her late afternoon set on the Great Oak Stage at BST Hyde Park proved exactly why. Supporting headliner Noah Kahan and following a string of breakout moments this year, the Hackensack, New Jersey native delivered a deeply affecting performance filled with vulnerability, power, and soaring vocals

Paris Paloma @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Kalpesh Patel)

Paris Paloma Brings Barefoot Magic To The Rainbow Stage At BST Hyde Park 2025

In a festival rich with soaring choruses and star power, it was Paris Paloma’s barefoot grace and gothic romanticism that carved out one of the day’s most mesmerising sets. Taking to The Rainbow Stage on a golden midsummer afternoon, the Derbyshire singer-songwriter captivated her growing legion of fans with an intimate, emotionally charged performance that felt part séance, part storybook.

FINNEAS @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Kalpesh Patel)

FINNEAS Warms Up London With Heart And Humour Before Noah Kahan’s Headline Set At BST Hyde Park 2025

It’s not every day that a support slot feels like a moment of main event magic, but FINNEAS — the GRAMMY®-winning songwriter, producer, and solo artist — brought just that to the Great Oak Stage at BST Hyde Park on Friday. Performing ahead of headliner Noah Kahan and main support Gracie Abrams, the 27-year-old delivered a slick, emotionally charged set that balanced heartfelt sincerity with tongue-in-cheek charm.

Noah Kahan @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Kalpesh Patel)

Northern Attitude In London: Noah Kahan, Gracie Abrams & Friends Light Up BST Hyde Park 2025

It was, as the name requires, the perfect summer's day for British Summer Time Hyde Park on Friday. The sun was...

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This

Share Thing