On the iconic stage of Nottingham’s Rock City, Amber Run performed on the evening of April 25th, delivering a mesmerising performance. With over 50,000 headline show tickets sold by the group, the band are no strangers to the love of touring. As an O.G. fan of Amber Run since 2016, this was my 11th time seeing them perform, and one thing I can always count on is that they never disappoint live.
Kicking off at 6:45 pm, the night featured two special supporting artists. First on stage was Michael Blackwell, who captivated the audience with a half-hour setlist that included a beautiful rendition of Bruce Springsteen’s: Dancing in the Dark and his highly-praised debut single: Nothing Makes Sense. Myles Smith was next to follow with an equally atmospheric performance. In his setlist of songs we saw him deliver an entrancing version of The Neighbourhood’s: Sweater Weather, alongside his incredibly heartfelt single: Memories (I don’t have). Two incredible supporting performances from two massively-talented artists.
Amber Run’s live performances are always set to be an emotional journey, seamlessly blending old and new tracks to captivate their audience. Opening with the classic of Just My Soul Responding the band had the crowd instantly hooked. Fan favourites like Honeylight, Fickle Game, and one of my personal favourite setlist additions of the night, Carousel, got everyone singing and dancing. Lead singer Joshua Keogh then introduced the heart-wrenching Amen, producing a sorrowful moment that never fails to make me cry. With a follow-on of other emotional numbers such as 5am, Wastelands (another personal favourite of the night) and See You Soon, which left a lasting impact on the audience.
This was the perfect segway into the band’s fourth album’s title track How To Be Human, delivering a poignant moment within the audience, building on the momentum of the setlist. As the night drew to a close, debut album favourites Noah and Spark left the audience’s spirits infectiously high and craving for more. As expected, the crowd-pleaser, I Found, is always set to be played. Preceding on from a moving solo performance of The Last Dance by lead singer Joe Keogh, Henry Wyeth (keyboards) and Tom Sperring (bass) were welcomed back on-stage for the encore and climatic performances of I Found and No Answers. Leaving everyone on a mega-high. The band’s ability to capture their audience with a range of emotions, from the heart-wrenching to the high-energy, was, as always, impressive and Amber Run delivered yet another powerful and unforgettable live experience.