London Grammar is one of those bands people obsess over. I should know, I am one of them. It was no surprise their Festival Hall show sold out in a heartbeat and standing there, in the middle of the dancefloor, people in every direction swayed in an almost religious trance, singing (nay, praising) with hands held high in the air. So when frontwoman Hannah Reid asked everyone to sing with her for the last song of the evening, Strong, we were already one step ahead.
Dressed simply in a classic jeans/shirt combo, Reid’s brilliance shone vocally and as always, she captivated from the start. Entering our sphere during a dreamy synth opener and some unexpected ‘90s electric guitar (think Melrose Place), she laid out some mesmerising, meditative notes that were to become album opener, Hey Now. A mountainous screen panorama lit up the stage as the rapturous applause began.
The more upbeat Darling Are You Gonna Leave Me and quieter Interlude followed before Reid spoke directly to the crowd, thanking them profusely for being one of the first places to show the band support. Explaining this was their last show on a tour that’s lasted two years, in support of their debut album If You Wait, the band was evidently emotional (and even a little tired).
This followed onto Shy and Wasted My Young Years, the latter injecting some energy into the crowd with its pulsing beat and graduated lighting set-up above and beyond the stage. Flickers came next, with the reminiscent introduction that it was the first song the band wrote back at university. It’s clear to see how they’ve honed their style since then, but the percussive backdrop of this track is always appreciated. Live, they take it to the next level with a heavy bass breakdown mid-song that gets the blood pumping. More spectacular vocals from Reid delivered a pitch-perfect rendition of Sights and Stay Awake, while French artist Kavinsky’s Nightcall was even more hauntingly beautiful in the flesh; a definite crowd favourite.
The predicted encore had Reid back on piano with the gentle backing of the live strings section (populated by local musicians, no less) for If You Wait and after a string of more “thank you’s” from the band, Metal & Dust rounded out an impressive set with a bang. Please, please come back soon.
BY JEN WILSON
LOVED: That voice.
HATED: Not knowing when they’ll be coming back.
DRANK: Anything I didn’t have to skol in the basement bar.
