James Bay - Kevin Garrett
After 3 years, the indie pop star James Bay is finally back on the road. He graced us with his presence at the LCR and did not disappoint.
Support act, Kevin Garrett from the Big Apple opened with a few of his tracks.
He was the classic ‘geeky guy with a guitar’ and had the crowd swaying and swooning from the first song.
Garrett covered the likes of Billie Eilish and Birdy and was super appreciative of the opportunity to tour and travel again.
Soon followed the silhouette that could only be James Bay with the iconic hat, shoulder length hair, and guitar in hand.
Opening with ‘Best Fake Smile’ Bay quickly set the mood for the evening, with everyone singing along in great spirits.
He proceeded to play a few new songs and his latest single ‘One Life’, but swiftly made the observation that many likely bought tickets to hear his hits. And of course he provided.
‘Let it Go’ and ‘Hold Back the River’ brought the LCR to life and reminded us of what classic 2010s’ tunes sound like. The singer-songwriter went on to discuss his love for wife, Lucy, and baby daughter Ada and shared how grateful he is for them both.
Inevitably, the pandemic came up and Bay spoke about how lost he was feeling musically but did gain a lot of guitar practice during lockdowns. Something that was clearly evident in his multiple 6 string solos; there’s no doubt he is a very talented musician despite questioning himself during the height of Covid-19.
I got a real impression that the 31 year old truly loves music and performing to an audience, his vocals are as strong as ever and I’m looking forward to studio album number three. The title of which has just been released: ‘Leap’.
