Review: Sam Smith at Manchester Arena – A celebration of love

Adina Pogor | 29th March 2018

With a genuine and contagious smile that lasted the entire night, Sam Smith managed to fill up the entire Manchester Arena with love on Tuesday night.

On 27th March 2018, Sam Smith performed in front of almost 21.000 people at the famous Manchester Arena, the first out of the two Manchester dates from the British leg of his second tour, “In the thrill of it all”, in support of his second album with the same title.

Opening up for Sam was British singer-songwriter and producer Bruno Major. The warmth of his vocals and his comforting beats drove away the cold coming from outside and warmed up the crowd with songs like “Easily”, “Cold blood” and “Just the same”. His passion could be felt from miles away and judging from last night, the only way for Bruno is up.

 

Next month I’ll be returning to some of the same places in the UK that I’m visiting with SAM SMITH ? I hope to see some of the same faces again. Bx ?-> http://brunomajor.com/

Geplaatst door Bruno Major op vrijdag 23 maart 2018

 

There is no doubt that Sam Smith is a romantic being. He loves love, he loves romance and you can hear that in every one of his songs and you could for sure feel that on Tuesday night. The numerous quotations showing on screen as you found your way to your seats were the entrée in a grand feast of love Sam put together for his people. Words like “Can we speak in flowers. It will be easier for me to understand” (Nayyirah Waheed) and “Fall in love, stay in love and it will decide everything.” (Pedro Arrupe) made you feel like you were getting to know Sam just a little bit more.

Music is a special kind of magic and the bond between an artist and their audience is a sacred one. The special connection between Sam and his fans is remarkable. His friendly presence, the way he can connect with you through his music and his genuine gratitude make you walk away at the end of the show feeling like he’s your best friend and he’s on your side. He can break down the toughest of exteriors and get to the center of your heart like no one else can. He proved, as he dedicated his first ever single, “Lay me down” to the victims of last year’s Manchester Arena attack, that music is a source of power, magic and love and should always be celebrated.

Though there are people that say Sam’s music can be quite depressing, I couldn’t find this any further from the truth. His ability to show his heart and bare his soul through his music is what makes people connect with him. That’s not depressing, that’s being a true artist. He is an inspiration to millions and especially to the LGBTQ+ community. His song “HIM” is a hymn about loving yourself, being who you are and being proud of it. Sam totally delivered that message on Tuesday night when he performed that song proudly and an image of the LGBTQ+ flag was projected onto the walls of the arena. His performances of “Baby, you make me crazy” and “Midnight train” continued to prove that his music is as empowering as it is heart-breaking.

With effortless vocals that remind me of an ice cold drink on a hot summer’s day, Sam Smith and his band managed to take us away for two hours into a world where “real love is never a waste of time” and where everyone should be proud and celebrated for who they are.

As I was heading home from the concert, the lyrics “I don’t have money on my mind, I do it for the love” popped into my head and I couldn’t help but think that that was exactly the vibe Sam Smith gave to Manchester that night.

 

 

 

Tickets: Sam Smith – http://samsmithworld.com/live/

Bruno Major – https://www.brunomajor.com/