LIVE: James Bay – Albert Hall Manchester 11.04.15

Anybody who has been lucky enough to attend a gig at Manchester’s Albert Hall has to admit that it’s a special venue. From the stained glass windows to the £2 coatroom, the venue has some importance to Manchester and its music scene. Previously a church, Albert Hall has been home to gigs such as The Charlatans and The Vaccines. There is something holy about this room, something special and needless to say, James Bay provided the crowd with something special on this night.

Walking into the crowded room at 7pm, not long after the gates opened, something (whether it be the distant smell of middle aged women’s perfume or the smell coming from the smoking terrace) magical is in the air. With a number one debut album and a BRIT Award under his belt, James Bay is set to become one of the biggest artists of 2015. The future of indie music is set to perform in front of a sold out crowd in Albert Hall.

It’s safe to say that this gig has been highly anticipated after tickets went on sale last November. The audience ranges from a mother with her teenage child to a couple who you could say have had a few too many of the £4.50 San Miguel’s from the bar. Needless to say, everybody is hyped to watch James Bay perform songs Chaos And The Calm.

The lights in the room fade and a bright spotlight focuses on the microphone stand. A sudden roar comes from the crowd as James Bay walks to the centre of the stage wearing his signature black hat. Bay starts with the groovy ‘Collide’, getting the crowd clapping along whenever the drums are hit. Bay’s eyes are constantly looking around the room, as though in awe of the building and how the crowd looks onstage. Not long after followed by the heartfelt ‘Craving’ and ‘When We Are on Fire’, Bay is easily pleasing the mixed crowd who throw the odd arm movement during the chorus. ‘If You Ever Want To Be in Love’ gets all the couples in the crowd holding each other, sweetly caressing each other with the beauty that is the chorus of this song. Finishing the song with a smile, Bay looks out to the audience. “Manchester you are beautiful,” he says followed by, “Y’know this tour sold out, I can’t believe it”. Bay has come far with his black hat and guitar.

‘Need the Sun’ propels in the crowd into a harmonic wave of emotion as they sing to Bay. ‘Running’ – from the deluxe version of Bay’s album – suggests a heartfelt meaning as Bay sings into the mic. After the song, Bay switches his acoustic which instantly gets the crowd buzzing. “Go on James my Son!” shouts one member of the crowd, Bay smiles feeling he has been accepted into the Manchester music scene family. Bay warms up the crowd with banter between bass player and longest friend Tom Peel as they almost have a showdown with the sounds of the bass and guitar. ‘Let It Go’ begins and the whole crowd cheers. Bay’s latest single is a crowd pleaser with everybody singing along.

Followed by ‘Move Together’, the crowd are singing and waving their arms in the air to the magic of James Bay. Bay stops and tells us a story about how he loved somebody and they left but came back and nothing was the same. He then hits us with the heartfelt ‘Scars’ as the lights dim to show Bay alone in the spotlight. ‘Best Fake Smile’ and ‘Get Out While You Can’ follow the heartfelt song, which instantly warm the hearts of the audience. Bay and co leave stage but the audience don’t leave, they wait in anticipation for what will happen next. Bay, wearing his best smile, strolls on stage and walks to the mic. “This is a song that you get your phones out for,” and suddenly every member of the audience has their iPhone torch on to make do for not having a lighter in hand. A beautiful, almost religious scene in the old church as Bay belts out ‘Incomplete’.

Bay ends with the infamous ‘Hold Back the River’ that has every member of the audience singing. Every member belting out the chorus, every member having a brilliant time. It’s safe to say that this song was the crowd pleaser of the night. Bay has done it – he has pleased the Manchester crowd. After finishing the song, Bay walks to the front of the stage and takes a well earned bow – Bay has lived up to his expectation.

Biddy Harrison-Draper

Brigid Harrison-Draper
Live Music Fanatic / Music Lover / Vinyl Collector/ I like the bands who are on my t-shirts