This is Tom Grennan’s second stop in his UK tour promoting his latest album “What Ifs & Maybes” and tonight he is playing at a sold-out Cardiff Arena.
With a number-one album “Evering Road” released in 2021. And four top-10 singles this promises to be a blistering night of music.
First up to take the stage is Frankie Beetlestone. After reaching eighth in 2020 for top Glastonbury emerging talent along with Tom Grennan and quoting “they want to be the best band in the country” they have high targets.
Releasing their first album in 2021 “Tasting The Sky” A mix of rock styles from rock-jazz to indie sees that everyone in the crowd can find a song for them. Ending their set with“Popstar” sees the crowd start singing the chorus back and the whole arena is buzzing with feel-good vibes.
Next up to warm the already full arena is Gracey. With a top ten hit to her name and writing songs for the likes of Olly Murs and Kylie Minogue, she knows what’s needed.
The three-piece all-female band starts with the high energy upbeat “What a waste”, I can see the crowd like this, as they all bounce along with arms up.
Gracey makes her way through her set list using the stage to get the arena going. “Lonely heart” gets everyone’s arms up again.
The band end their set with “Don’t need love” Gracey’s top ten hit collaborated with 220 kid.
SET LIST
1/ What A Waste
2/ Easy for You
3/ Lonely Heart
4/ Psycho
5/ Before You Go
6/ Don’t
7/ Don’t Need Love
The stage is now being set for Tom Grennan, huge LED signs light up the arena advertising his new album “What ifs & Maybes” which is out on the 9th of June.
His band take the stage, and the crowd erupts. A photo of Tom Grennan as a baby fills the full main screen at the back off stage and you hear Tom’s voice as he starts talking about himself as a baby and who he is compared to now, emphasising how grateful he is to all his fans and everyone here tonight.
He emerges Kicking off with one of his well-known hits, “Don’t break the Heart”. leading straight into “If Only” with huge pyro explosions of fire, then he walks down to the end of the catwalk to sing to the middle of the arena surrounded by his fans.
He glances down at his floral combo of trousers and shirt and admits they remind him a bit of his nan’s curtains.
Telling the crowd how much they mean to him again, the song “Amen” starts, with a stained glass church-looking window lighting up the main screen, When the chorus word “Amen” repeats he holds out the mic, and the crowd doesn’t hesitate singing Amen right back at him.
There’s been no holdback on this tour stage set with banks of lights and screen graphics, its all simply breathtaking. Then it’s hit after hit before he shouts to the audience are you ready for some new music, The reply is a deafening scream. And he launches into “All These Nights” from his new album “What ifs & Maybes” already released as a single from the forthcoming new album, and the fans love it.
Tom then brings one of the backing singers Angel to the catwalk for “let’s Go On Together” and her voice is mesmerising, and then its time for his newest single “Here” and he explains this song is about family and is a big thank you for all their support, thanking his mam and dad who are in the room tonight and the screen displays photos of him and his family.
Leading into “This Side of The Room” also from the new album and crowd are loving a sneak peek of these new songs and screaming fills the arena at the end of every song. “It’s Not Over Yet” displays on the screen and the crowd goes crazy, bouncing, waving and signing. A fan favourite by far, with explosions of fire throughout the song the atmosphere in this arena could blow the roof off and just when you think it can’t get much louder “lionheart’s” keyboard intro starts and the noise from the crowd is like nothing I have heard before.
A fan is seen holding a card up in the air and Tom quickly gets the card and reads it to the audience, It says “Hi Tom do you remember when I tried to get in your car before? love Trish” Tom laughs and replies “I remember this you got half in, legs out, you done’ aright”
After this, he invites a fan onto stage to help sing “Remind me“. The crowd love this. And the fan on stage to everyone’s amazement sings it brilliantly. Even Tom is taken aback by his vocal skills. The audience interaction has made this concert memorable for so many fans here tonight.
Ending the main set with a “little bit of love“. before walking down and he takes a fan’s phone up onto the stage to take a selfie, a nice touch again.
Howard Eastwood is brought to the middle to play the grand piano for the last song of the night “You are not alone”. A relaxing personal end to the concert. A confetti cannon explodes, raining red and white confetti as Tom says thank you Wales, before walking off stage to “It’s Not Unusual” by Tom Jones
Asking a fan on the way out what they thought of the night? Susan Wonnacott replied “The show was incredible Tom was a true performer funny, witty, humble with amazing vocal cords incredible evening”
SET LIST
1/ Don’t Break the Heart
2/ If Only
3/ Sober / Royal Highness / Barbed Wire
4/ Crown Your Love
5/ This Is the Place
6/ Amen
7/ All These Nights
8/ Found What I’ve Been Looking For
9/ Psychedelic Kisses
10/ Let’s Go Home Together
11/ Here
12/ This Side Of The Room
13/ How Does It Feel
14/ Not Over Yet
15/ All Goes Wrong
16/ Lionheart (Fearless)
17/ By Your Side
18/ Head Up
19/ Remind Me
20/ Little Bit of Love
21/ You Are Not Alone
FOLLOW TOM GRENNAN
FOLLOW FRANKIE BEETLESTONE
FOLLOW GRACEY
