On a beautiful spring evening in Glasgow, a lively queue wrapped around the corner outside SWG3, as eager fans waited to gain entry. The atmosphere buzzed with anticipation. The crowd, predominantly young women, were excited to see their hero, Brad Simpson of The Vamps, perform songs from his solo album on The Panic Years tour.
Tonight’s support comes from the outstanding Nieve Ella, who has the chance to ignite the Glasgow crowd. Armed with an acoustic guitar, and joined by Finn Marlow from her band on electric, Nieve opened with the superb “The Things We Say.” She told the crowd, “Wow, we can hardly hear ourselves up here—you are loud!”
Clearly delighted by the warm reception, her passion radiated through every song, with standouts including “Car Park” and “Anything,” before she delivered an excellent cover of Lizzy McAlpine’s “Spring Into Summer.” From the very first note, she had the Glasgow crowd in the palm of her hand, the joy on stage flowing effortlessly into the audience.
Nieve closed her short set with the excellent “Good Grace,” then delighted the crowd with the standout track “Sugarcoated.” It was a special performance for her, as the audience sang along, clearly familiar with her songs. She received an enthusiastic reception before she left the stage.
After a brief interlude, the lights faded and the intro music swelled, signalling the arrival of Bradley’s band on stage. Moments later, Bradley himself emerged, opening the show with an electrifying rendition of “Getting Clear” as he soaked in the energy of the Glasgow crowd from the front of the stage. Between songs, Bradley engaged warmly with the audience, remarking that this was the biggest show of the tour and marvelling at the turnout—“Wow, look at you all!” The sense of excitement pulsed through the venue. Inviting the crowd to join in, he launched into the single “Picasso,” encouraging everyone to sing along. The Glasgow audience responded in full force, belting out every lyric from start to finish. The broad smile on Bradley’s face made it clear he was savouring every moment.
As the temperature in the venue began to rise, Bradley removed his top to reveal a white vest emblazoned with “Glasgow” on the back. It was difficult to tell if today’s date was printed on it, but the gesture was met with cheers from the crowd. With his signature red guitar in hand, he launched into a powerful rendition of “Cry to The Moon,” prompting an enthusiastic singalong from the fans. Support artist Nieve Ella joined Bradley on stage for an outstanding performance of “Favourite Band,” their chemistry creating a memorable moment for the Glasgow audience. The surprises didn’t end there—Bradley waded into the crowd to perform “The Bands Not Breaking Up,” before leading the entire venue in spirited renditions of “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” and “Candy” by The Proclaimers and Paolo Nutini. Ending the set with the title track, Bradley left the audience in awe, their demands for an encore echoing throughout the venue.
Bradley returned to thrill the crowd with a two-song encore, featuring the brilliant “Daisies,” which had the audience singing along in full voice, before closing with one of the album’s highlights, “Carpet Burn.” The performance raised the roof at SWG3, with Glasgow fans pouring their hearts into one final chorus of the night. As Bradley and the band bid Glasgow farewell, the fans departed with memories of an unforgettable evening of music from Bradley Simpson.
If you’ve never seen Bradley perform solo before—and if you manage to get a ticket, which is no easy feat—you’re in for an incredible night of music from The Vamps’ lead singer on his solo tour. Be sure to check out his excellent album, The Panic Years.
Review & Photographs by James Edmond Photography
