Live: CALUM SCOTT // O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London
Calum Scott embarks on his first headline tour.
British singer/songwriter Calum Scott came to fame in 2015 when he appeared on Britain’s Got Talent. Since then he has signed with a major record label and in March this year released his debut album Only Human, which entered the UK charts at number 4.
Tuesday saw Scott perform at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire on the final night of the UK-leg of his first ever headline tour. Despite having dislocated his shoulder earlier in the week, the show went ahead without a hitch, with the singer addressing the crowd with a ‘Hello London. I’d be lying if I wasn’t looking forward to this the whole tour’.
With his powerful and gritty vocals, slightly nasal tenor and boy-next-door good looks, Scott kicked off the set with Come Back Home and gave his all on stage covering the majority of Only Human – an album about wanting to relate to people and human emotion.
In attempting to connect with his audience, an introduction was given to almost every song which made the show feel very structured and dare I say, flat in atmosphere. That said, the acoustic section in the middle segment of the set remedied this and included a cover of Bob Dylan’s Not Dark Yet and the gorgeous Hotel Room.
The most emotional moment of the set came on No Matter What. The song is very personal to Scott and is not featured on the album as to ‘allow it its own space’, he explains. It is on this song that we see Scott be most vulnerable and honest, for it speaks of building up the courage to come out to your parents. When he finishes the track, visibly overcome with emotion, Scott is compelled to wander to the back of the stage to wipe away tears and receive a consolatory hug from a member of his band.
Elsewhere in the set, the up-tempo Rhythm Inside got the crowd dancing; You Are the Reason saw a dedication to his Grandma, while Won’t Let You Down was dedicated to his sister, Jade. The finale came by way of Scott’s defining song, a stirring cover of Robyn’s Dancing On My Own which got the crowd warbling.
Overall, the evening was a satisfactory night of live music. Support was from Daniel Docherty and the tour continues with various dates across in Europe.
Photos: Kasia Osowiecka