There are artists out there that when they announce they have a gig, you leap at the opportunity to go – and one of these artists for me is Brett Young – so when he announced his highest capacity Scottish headline show, you best believe a date at the Hydro went straight into my calendar.
Last year, we saw Brett sell out the SEC Armadillo, and in previous years, the Academy and a slot at the iconic C2C Festival, which, back in 2022, was my introduction to Brett Young (and sobbing at the sound of Mercy on demand).
The Hydro was PACKED, I’m talking floor to ceiling, and it wasn’t just Brett we were waiting to see. There are artists out there that you melt at the sound of their voice, and Aussie vocalist Sam Fischer is that voice. I first came across Sam Fischer back in 2019 with his Black Saint collab – but it was This City in 2019 that absolutely stole my heart. His voice is like nothing I’ve ever experienced before – and hearing it in a silent arena is a core memory I will never forget.
Bursting onto the stage with his guitarist Martin, Sam was full of energy, chatting with the crowd, talking about the tour and being back in Glasgow – it wasn’t too long ago he was last here for the Picture This tour.
Sam brought a level of interaction and joy to the stage which I haven’t seen from a support act before – it felt more like a collab tour than a warm-up slot. I Love You, Please Don’t Hate Me, Alright, moonshine and of course, This City live were just absolute sheer perfection. I beg and beg – please come back to Glasgow soon (and play What Other People Say it slaps).
When Brett announced the ‘Back to Basics Tour’ I did wonder what this would entail – Brett’s never been one for big elaborate productions, his voice carries all the talent here – but taking to the stage, he revealed the reason for this tour was due to the way the industry went after COVID and missing the opporutnity to strip back his songs and connect more with the audience. At first, I wondered how this would tie in at his biggest crowd show in the UK to date, but he absolutely hit the nail on the head.
Opening with Sleep Without You, Ticket to L.A., Tastes Like You, Catch and Kiss to Forget You. Despite being in a 13,000-person venue, you truly felt like we were in an up-close-and-personal venue – every song, every lyric and the INCREDIBLE band behind him, it just worked so so well.
With a plethora of tracks under his belt, Brett delved into several albums and even covers of Beautiful Crazy and welcomed back Sam Fischer for a duet of Sam Fischer (and a duet of Mercy, which had me SOBBING).
There’s a real mix of topics when it comes to Brett’s discography – heartbreak, growing up, becoming a family man and also being in love. There were stories attached throughout the show – with Lady being dedicated to his wife and two daughters back home, and In Case You Didn’t Know being dedicated to couples across the arena.
There was a real richness throughout the show – and at moments, Brett just looked so in awe of the lights and faces in front of him. One thing I always admire and hold artists account for – is when they give their band time to shine – “Some artists say they have the best band, but thats not true, because I do” giving each section their time to shone – from keys to drums to strings – yes, we got an eclectic violin solo and it was nothing short of incredible. Closing up with Who I Do It For, That Ain’t Yours, Say Less, Here Tonight – before the most beautiful encore of In Case You Didn’t Know – I truly can say this concert is up there with one of the best shows I’ve ever seen.
Brett continues to prove how he can put even more emotion into each and every song and adapt as the years go by. We recently saw Brett reimagine some of his favourite tracks on the 2.0 album, collaborating with the likes of Hannah McFarland and Lady A, and I cannot wait to see what the next chapter holds, as that was truly one of the best concerts I’ve ever attended. 11/10 Brett Young and Sam Fischer.
Review by Lauren Page
