Featured image: Press
It’s been five years since Jorja Smith last played the Albert Hall, a former Wesleyan chapel-turned-gig venue that sits between bars and restaurants on the ever-busy Peter Street. Her growth is perhaps best reflected in the sheer number of people braving the freezing cold to pack the building out.
Here to celebrate the release of sophomore album Falling or Flying, accompanied by a full band, the setlist is a perfectly balanced celebration of the old and new. ‘Feelings’ and ‘Addicted’ fire up the crowd, though their energy tapers off for much of the other new material.
Despite the audience reaction, Smith spends much of the evening with a huge grin on her face, and although the room maybe hasn’t had enough time to digest Smith’s new album, they still clap along to the title track.
Smith wheels out her greatest hits in the second half. There’s ‘Blue Lights,’ arguably the greatest piece of songwriting Smith will ever produce, which is powerful enough that the crowd stops all conversation to sing along. Meanwhile, one of her oldest songs, ‘Teenage Fantasy’, showcases her growth both as a songwriter and person.
There’s no encore. Instead, Smith invites the audience to party as the sound of the summer belter, ‘Little Things’, rings out before rounding the night off with ‘On My Mind’. Tonight is a full circle moment for the singer and a real treat for the audience. It’s impossible not to bask in the fact that this should be one of the last times anyone will see Jorja Smith in a venue this small.
Featured image and gallery: Jack Oliver After eight packed out performances across Europe Kaytranada arrives at Co-Op Live for his largest show on the European leg of his ‘Timeless Tour’. The 23,000 capacity venue is filled with excited fans who eagerly anticipate the start of the show after energetic performances from Pomo, Lou Phelps and…
Featured image: Olivia Taberner and Adomas Lukas Petrauskas From Arc’teryx raincoats to mud-clogged Salomons, we explore how outdoor garments have evolved from fashion trends to functional wear – bringing together communities of young men in the process. What began as a Patagonia jacket and a sunrise ambition soon turned into getting “battered at 3am by…
Featured image: Yas Lucia Mascarenhas and Adomas Lukas Petrauskas Manchester’s inner-city neighbourhood of Moss Side is often portrayed in the media as a dangerous area, plagued by knife crime and shootings. However, one resident and Manchester Met student – Baka Bah – believes this one-sided story doesn’t reflect the true spirit of his community. While…
Featured image: Molly Goble and Nicola Henry In the last five years, hate crimes against LGBTQ+ people have risen by 112%, underscoring the critical need for safe, inclusive spaces where queer individuals can find a sense of belonging. Amid this crisis, Queer Lit has emerged as a sanctuary in the form of a literary refuge…
Leave a reply