Attitude Festival Review: Sam Smith at Somerset House

Sam Smith is undoubtedly the man of the moment, and the 22-year-old’s first LP In the Lonely Hour – the fastest-selling debut album of the year – is still hovering in the top five on the UK’s Official Albums Chart almost two months after release.

It was announced earlier today (July 21) that Sam will be headliningthe iTunes Festival 2014 alongside the likes of Kylie Minogue and Blondie in September, and Attitude‘s Ben Kelly got a taste of what’s in store for everyone during the Hertfordshire-raised singer’s set at the Somerset House Summer Series in central London last week (July 18).

What happened?
The male saviour of UK soul took to the outdoor stage in Somerset House’s historic courtyard for his first London gig since his debut album, In the Lonely Hour, topped the charts on both sides of the Atlantic – and a hero’s welcome it was too. As much as Sam gushed about hearing his songs sung back to him in his home city, the crowd loved every minute of his set, from opener Nirvana, through the best of the album, to the climactic finale – which included a string of hits such as La La La, Money On My Mind, Latch and Stay With Me. His band and singers were spectacular (special nod to the strings), his own vocals were, unsurprisingly, pitch-perfect, and his showmanship is strengthening with every tour he embarks upon.

The crowd:
Somerset House was filled with a healthy mix of your average young professionals – including couples and groups of girls – most of whom knew all the words, even to the album tracks. Sam’s pals Daisy Lowe and Cara Delevigne even mixed unnoticed among the crowd.

High point:
Much as a plain old Sam set would have been perfection in itself and as much as the crowd revelled in singing along to his Number One singles, it was when Sam returned for the encore of Stay With Me – and brought out Mary J Blige to sing it with him – that the night was really made. It was a powerful live music moment that few who were there will forget.

Low point:
People might have the misconception that a Sam Smith gig will be a bit of a slow burner, but the whole thing featured a decent mix of stripped-down ballads, full-band numbers and nods to his dance track vocals. The only real low point was the rain, which dripped persistently throughout. The lightning didn’t start until after the show, but the applause throughout sure was thunderous (I’m here all week…)

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