DERMOT KENNEDY CASTS HIS SPELL OVER AO ARENA LIVERPOOL, UK 7TH APRIL 2023

April 10, 2023
UK Concert Reviews
by Billy Seagrave Photographer/Writer

As the crowds headed to tonight’s sell-out show at Ao Arena in Manchester for Dermott Kennedy, Billy Seagrave joined the masses for All Music Magazine UK,

Dermot Kennedy is an Irish singer-songwriter. He is best known for his 2019 singles “Outnumbered” and “Power Over Me”, his 2020 single “Giants”, and his feature on the 2020 Meduza single “Paradise”.

Kennedy fuses two genres, folk and hip-hop. This is a change from his early work, which were more acoustic. Unlike some songwriters, he does not write with specific moments or events in mind. He writes them naturally when listening to the track, as specific memories and emotions are triggered through the music.

Dermot has amassed nearly 4 billion streams across different platforms and has the best-selling debut album in Ireland this millennium. The Blossom singer was nominated for Best International Male at the 2020 BRIT Awards and has sold platinum in 13 countries.

Dermot Kennedy was in Manchester as part of his Arena headline tour “Sonder”, promoting his latest album of the same name. which was released in November 2022.

Support for this evening is Noah Kahan, an American singer-songwriter of folk-infused pop, who has perfectly scripted a show that can only be described as two-faced. Noah’s concerts are incredibly fun, folk-fused pop music through the strings of a mandolin greeted by thumping percussion and a rowdy stage presence. Noah and his band are in the zone, gliding and weaving through tons of upbeat and catchy hooks that sound arena-ready. However, there is a noticeable sadness in the air, hidden amongst the dancing and joy is a devilishly sweet reality. Noah Kahan makes some sad, sad music. Underneath all the airy strumming and bass grooves, Noah has written songs that come crashing down into the audience with such authenticity, such genuineness, that it is mesmerizing.

Setlist.

1/ The View Between Villages

2/ All My Love

3/ Growing Sideways

4/ Northern Attitude

5/ She Calls Me Back

6/ Orange Juice

7/ Homesick

8/ Young Blood

9/ Stick Season

There are not many concerts where you feel something special is happening before your eyes, but, this was one of them,

With the stage bathed in lights Dermot Kennedy walked onto it and commanded the arena from that moment to the moment when he walked out of it, he completely enthralled the crowd, casting a musical spell that had them totally within his power. When an artist conveys as much emotion through both their creativity and performance, then there’s no need to wonder why, he has two number-one albums. His raw sensitivity and lyrical poetry felt like a shared soundtrack to your own experiences just as much as his.

Tonight he played all the tracks the packed-out arena wanted to hear too loud cheers “Outnumbered” “Something to Someone” “Better Days” had people singing along at the tops of their voices but I have to say even the newer and lesser-known tracks received as much love.

The connection between the Irish singer/ songwriter and his fans is amazing, he plays and sings with passion and bravery that give him that wow factor. There is a belief, an honesty to him and to the way he delivers his songs that just empowers him to the crowd, and the crowd are at their vocal best in return, amazing for an artist that was not so long ago busking the streets of Dublin, look at him now selling out Arenas with ease,

As I said at the beginning tonight’s show was special, very special and from what I saw, I know for sure that Dermot Kennedy will no doubt continue to unite and pull on the heartstrings of love, loss, hope for audiences across the globe. Not bad for a former busking boy from Dublin.