Sam Fender finished his first ever headline tour in style this week, in one of Bristol’s oldest venues after playing up and down the country, with his best moody, alternative-rock sound, and it was exactly what we wanted.

Main support came from Joe Probert, a fantastic drummer and vocalist who wowed the crowd, talented enough to give Fender a run for his money... keep an eye on that one.

The audience were well warmed up for Fender’s entrance, and he was met by screaming fans and some familiar faces when he took his place up on stage. Opening with his 2017 single ‘Millennial’, everyone was feeling the energy straight away.

After playing some new, unheard tracks, he began to talk of home and mentioned he had some visitors in the crowd tonight. He went on to dedicate the next song to “a friend”, and commenced with ‘Dead Boys’, a darker number with a heavy drum beat. “Nobody ever could explain all the dead boys in my hometown,” is a line that, although haunting, is unforgettable. A song that clearly goes deep into personal and private issues for Fender, made into a something memorable and beautiful. He writes with wisdom beyond his years.


Fender also played all his previous singles, ‘Greasy Spoon’, ‘Start Again’ and latest release ‘Friday Fighting’. Met with loud applause and everyone singing the words, it must have been special for the young singer-songwriter.

His penultimate song was fan-favourite ‘Play God’. Intense and politically-driven, ‘Play God’ feels very relevant in today’s world amongst our modern problems. With Fender’s broody performance and soulful voice, this will get stuck in your head for sure. He played it just as the audience hoped he would, and it would have made an excellent end to the night.

Except Fender managed to exceed all expectations and finished the gig with a solo piano piece. This really showcased his vocal talent, hitting every high note whilst displaying true feeling to those watching. It wasn’t where the night seemed to be heading, but it turned out to be the perfect finale.

Despite the extreme heat and sweat dripping from, well, everyone, it was utterly worth it. Sam Fender is a musician on the rise, and he’s only going to keep on climbing.