IN just a few years, Sam Fender has gone from playing Nice N Sleazy at our very own TENEMENT TRAIL to headlining this weekend’s Edinburgh Summer Sessions in front of 30,000 impassioned fans.
The Geordie singer-songwriter has long spoken of his connection with Scotland, having grown up in the Scottish Borders, so it was appropriate that he opened this special Friday night gig with ‘Angel in Lothian’, a song about that time growing up in the east coast. A long-time fan favourite that explores personal themes of youthful frustration, mythology and the search for guidance, it’s often reserved for special occasions – and, like in Manchester last week, the Scottish crowd was rewarded.
The track captures that beautiful blend of soaring love and heartfelt vulnerability that encapsulates much of Fender’s music – the qualities that have earned them such an avid fanbase that follow him from gig to gig, across the UK, Europe and beyond. As is his calling card, many of them were decked out in Newcastle Utd strips, presumably having made the trip up the A1 for the weekend.
And while Fender’s influence has grown tenfold since those early days in Sleazys, tracks from the early days – the likes of ‘Spice’, ‘‘The Borders’ and ‘Hypersonic Missiles’ all got their time to shine. These are songs that graduated from small rooms to arenas, stadiums and huge outdoor festivals and they still hit every bit as hard, with arms aloft in the air and mass singalongs.
This tour is in support of the recent ‘People Watching’ album but the frontman didn’t let this dominate the set list – instead setting the pace with the likes of ‘Spice’, ‘Will We Talk?’ and ‘Getting Started’. A highlight from the new album did arrive early on in the shape ‘Arm’s Length’ which he sang along with bandmate Brooke Bentham, adding a new dimension to his live show after that propulsive opening. He also brought on support act Olivia Dean for a fantastic rendition of ‘Rein Me In’, the rising soul star’s vocals the perfect complement to Fender and the performance was given a rousing reception. The singer had earlier delivered her own excellent set – showing she’s more than worthy of her newly announced Hydro headline show next year. From King Tuts to the Hydro in three short years, it seems like Dean is ready for her own Fender-esque rise to the top.
There was plenty of camaraderie on show throughout the evening – from the crowd to the stage. There’s a genuine connection between Fender and his listeners – he plays with a humility and relatability that strikes a chord with a cross-cultural following. Admittedly, it did take a while for them to get going – the Royal Highland Centre doesn’t always serve to create the most rousing of atmospheres (whether it was the traffic getting there or the sound from the back), but ‘People Watching’ picked up the momentum. On ‘Howdon Aldi Death Queue’ he encouraged mosh pits to open up, while there was a heartwarming moment when he invited a young girl Cara up to play ‘The Borders’ and she nailed it, from the propulsive opening to its dramatic crescendo. ‘Spit of You’ packed an emotional punch – a track about his relationship with his dad, the crowd poured their heart out as family pictures appeared on the screen.
Having cancelled various shows this summer due to vocal issues, it was pleasing to see the singer back on top form – no more so than for the triumphant conclusion of ‘Seventeen Going Under’, ‘The Dying of the Light’ and ‘Hypersonic Missiles’. These are where Sam Fender is at the peak of his powers, and they’re the songs people were there to see, with their singalong refrains echoing around the park. Lyrically, the latter feels even more relevant now than it did six years ago, and it duly tipped the crowd into pure delirium against a backdrop of fireworks and confetti. ‘I’ll see you soon, Edinburgh’, he signed off. He’s welcome back anytime.
