As the soft houselights of The Level came down, just gone half-eight on a Tuesday evening, out walked Holly Humberstone.
There was no grandeur, no theatrical introduction, and the stage was noticeably minimal; two chairs, a keyboard and a couple of guitars.
Having emerged onto the alternative-pop scene back in 2020, mid-lockdown, the 23-year-old-singer-songwriter returned to Nottingham after two EPs, 16 singles and support slots for Olivia Rodrigo, Lewis Capaldi and Girl in Red, as part of a string of intimate shows for her long-awaited and long-overdue debut ‘Paint My Bedroom Black,’ which was released on October, 13, 2023.
Sat, centre-stage, alongside her sole bandmate Seth Tackaberry – hidden in the corner, readying his fingers over a Roland A-800 – Humberstone immediately welcomed us into the dark, angst-ridden world of ‘Paint My Bedroom Black,’ opening the set with an acoustic rendition of the beautifully atmospheric and airy title track, which is currently unreleased.
As the final strum of the song rang out, the artist was met with unanimous applause and screams from the audience.
Visibly nervous, Holly briefly welcomed the crowd and stated how good it was to ‘be back’ in Nottingham, having grown up only miles down the road in Grantham.
In a way, the gig felt like a homecoming show of sorts.
The artist softly spoke of how important Nottingham was to her, the nostalgia she has for the city on tour, and even, when introducing new album cut ‘Ghost Me,’ stated the song was inspired by a drunken Karaoke night at Rescue Rooms.
Amid immersing the audience into the world created on her latest album, Humberstone brought a beautiful familiarity with acoustic renditions of ‘Falling Asleep at the Wheel’ and ‘Friendly Fire’ from her first two EPs respectively, while ‘The Walls Are Way too Thin’ – a sure fan favourite and, arguably, the artists most recognisable track – had everyone in the audience singing along.
The Grantham-born singer is set to embark on her ‘The Holly Humberstone Show’ tour in March 2024.
(Image Credit: Georgia Flinton)
Perhaps the most beautiful moment of the night, however, came when Holly played her debut single ‘Deep End,’ written for her sister who was struggling with her mental health.
Backed by a haunting, anxious-like electric guitar riff, Holly’s genuine, heart-wrenching emotion filled the venue as she sang the words “I’ll be your medicine if you let me.”
The sincerity of ‘Deep End’s’ despair clearly translated to the audience who, when the song ended, seemed to come to a brief standstill of pure silence, before applauding Humberstone.
Throughout the show, with the focus on the upcoming LP, the 23-year-old weaved in and out of new singles, such as ‘Into Your Room,’ full of 80s-pop-like melodies, ‘Antichrist,’ in which Holly sings of the guilt after ending a relationship; “I gave you bad love only” and the Mazzy Star-infused ‘Kissing In Swimming Pools.’
As the show came to an end, and Humberstone declared there are only two songs left to play, she slightly laughed into the microphone, trembling: “You should know these ones, and if you don’t, that’s okay,’ before treating the audience to Scarlett and Room Service, ending the gig on a somewhat sombre note.
As I walked out of the venue, I heard multiple people conclude how quote-on-quote “depressing” the performance was, and even saw a few people crying, overwhelmed with the emotions of the set.
In some ways, that’s what I’ve always admired about Holly Humberstone; her skills as a performer bring people in – with catchy choruses and poppy melodies – but her confessional, diary-like, heartbreaking lyrics are what really get through to people, and the ‘intimate-style’ of this show puts that authenticity on display and proves why the 23-year-old is one of the most interesting, must-watch upcoming artists of her generation.
Holly’s debut album ‘Paint My Bedroom Black’ can be streamed now on all streaming platforms and purchased here.
Featured Image Credit: Georgia Flinton