Holly arrives in Leeds on the second night of her UK tour. Playing to a close to capacity audience at Leeds O2 Academy, highlights the growth Holly has had over the last 12 months, with previous tours catering for around 400, this tour has increased five folds. Regularly playing festivals and in the USA, Holly is quietly getting on with it, whilst making a big noise. This is reflected by the mixture within the crowd, the audience is not just pumped full of youngsters as many a pop rock gig, but a wide variety of ages, which reflects how well Holly Humberstone songs strike a note with many. The older generation reminded of the vulnerability live brings to the young, no doubt feeling how it was for them, whilst thinking of the journeys their own children will take.
Holly Humberstone deliver the first two songs ('The Walls Are Two Thin', and 'Vanillia') under a staged light which makes her barely visible, a creative way to make the gig feel intimate, this brings all from the balcony to the back of the venues in line with the front. All are together being soaked into her lyrics. From here Holly shows more of herself as the lights are lifted, slowly opening us up to her vulnerability.
Throughout the gig Holly takes tour to address the fans, telling stories are where she's from, been, and the impact this has had on her. A life grown in Grantham, going to Uni and the venues she'd played in Leeds, and then finding herself in London a vibrant highly populated city where Holly felt lonely.
It's an absolute pleaser for fans, and I feel you have to be a fan of Holly to come to one of her gigs. Vocally beautiful, she delivers songs which are worthy of being in love with before attending. Even in a larger venue, the gig finishes leaving you with a feeling that you're witnessing the start of a career which is going to fly high.
SET LIST
The Walls Are Way Too Thin
Vanilla
Overkill
Please Don't Leave Just Yet
London Is Lonely
Drop Dead
Can You Afford to Lose Me?
Friendly Fire
Haunted House
Deep End
Thursday
Falling Asleep at the Wheel
Sleep Tight
Scarlett