Live Review: Beabadoobee - O2 Ritz, Manchester 07/09/2021
Beabadoobee’s return to Manchester was bigger, louder and more unreal than she, or anyone could ever imagine.
With this gig in the O2 Ritz being her biggest Manchester show to date, there was nerves surrounding how it would go down, however it is safe to say that she and her band pulled it out the bag.
Two years ago, prior to the Covid stricken world, Bea played in Gorilla, Manchester, to a few hundred people and what an amazing, intimate night that was. In some remarkable way, the intimacy captured at that 2019 show was re-experienced at this newer and bigger tour date, with the whole band and of course, Beabadoobee’s herself getting involved with the crowd at every given opportunity.
From gracing the stage with her older, more rocky song ‘Sun More Often’ to playing the acoustic melancholy track, ‘Disappear’ making a lot of the audience tear up throughout the crowd - there was a moment for everyone to enjoy.
As the 21-year-old, singer, songwriter commenced her second song, ‘care’ the crowd belted back the words to her whilst simultaneously creating a massive pit, simply showing how thrilling it was to be back in a crowd of this size.
With this being the first date of the ‘fake it flowers’ UK tour, nerves were slightly obvious at the beginning of the set, but as the set list went on, the confidence of the tightly knitted band became conspicuously un-noticeable.
A major moment of the night had to be when the first few chords of ‘She Plays Bass’ was played, and the screams of the crowd became resounding. It was such an emotive feeling to experience, it made me and undoubtedly many others, so blessed to be back experiencing live music.
As the set came to an encore, it was clear the affect Beabadoobee has on her fans, she leaves them wanting more and gives everyone a show to remember. As Beabadoobee took the stage solo, to finish the set, her top hit ‘Coffee’ was performed effortlessly, whilst she seemed to become slightly emotional.
Ending the set with ‘Cologne’, Bea and the band vivaciously took the stage ending in such a lively manner. Overall, the gig definitely starts this tour off on a high. I can only imagine what’s next from the 21-year-old, but I can’t wait to see.
Words by Lucy Holden
Photography by Hayley Fearnley