Manchester’s infamous string of outdoor shows known as the ‘Sounds of the City’ returned this week with a stellar line-up, featuring some of the biggest names in music. And what better way to kick start this spectacular week than with global superstar Lewis Capaldi making his triumphant return to live shows as he took over the outdoor Castlefield Bowl venue for a magical night. The Scottish songbird shot to fame in 2019 with the meteoric success of his single “Someone you loved” and this success made him a household name around the world and it was merely just the beginning. The 25-year-old would go on to win several Brit Awards and his debut album “Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent” propelled his career even more into the spotlight. Capaldi made history by becoming the first artist to sell out an arena tour before even releasing an album, and after this incredible show in Manchester it’s not hard to see why! Support for the night came from the talented Emie Nathan and JP Saxe. JP Saxe returns to Manchester on the 23rd July for his very own highly anticipated headline show at the Manchester Academy 3, tickets can be found below!
The weather may not have been the summer-vibe everyone had been hoping for, but the vibe around the outdoor venue was as warm as a bright summer’s day. Attendees for this gig had been waiting for two years for the show due to Covid setbacks and everyone was more than ready for Lewis Capaldi to take to the stage and deliver a special show, and boy did he deliver. In typical fashion Lewis Capaldi took to the stage in one of the most humorous ways I’ve ever seen, after audio mixes mimicking several famous artists like Harry Styles’ he played his own rendition of Backstreet Boys’ track “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” which subtly announced that “Lewis was back alright” and he took to the stage with enormous cheers. Capaldi kicked off the night with “Grace” before launching into some of his most heartfelt songs like “Forever” and “Hold Me While You Wait”. While Lewis Capaldi’s songs may be some of the most emotional ballads in pop music, his live shows gift some of the best laughs imaginable. The Scotsman could easily pass as a stand-up comedian with Capaldi toying with the crowd between songs and even during his songs as he teased the crowd with long pauses which ended in fits of laughter. As the night went on Capaldi would play an extremely impressive cover of Vanessa Carlton’s “A Thousand Miles” (which I wish was released on Spotify right now!) and ended the show with fan favourites “Before You Go” and “Someone You Loved”. It was certainly a special show that was well worth the two-year wait and Capaldi teased the release of new music would be coming very, very soon as we all wait patiently for the second studio album.
LEWIS CAPALDI
Photos + Review by Lewis Roberts| Exclusively for Music, Why Not!
