Beabadoobee fans were out in full force on Monday, October 10 as she returned to Nottingham to grace the stage at Rock City, giving us her fifth show in her ‘Beatopia’ UK and IE tour.
Outside the venue, a queue of eager fans stretched up Talbot Street and wound down Clarendon Street. Excitement filled the air as the 7:00 pm doors opening time drew closer.
When the fans came flooding into the venue, every space was filled, and the balcony had been opened to accommodate the vast number of people in attendance.
Pre-show restlessness was already fizzing through the room, so some fans decided to start the entertainment early by holding up their phones with comically immature words/phrases on their screens for all to see. This got a wave of cheers from some members of the crowd.
The opening act for the night was none other than the lively Pretty Sick, who got the crowd jumping with their indie rock/grunge-inspired set, making them the perfect predecessor to the angst that Beabadoobee was about to deliver. The New York native group went down so well with the crowd that it almost felt like they were the headline act, signalling big things for their future in Nottingham.
After the opening act, the thrill in the room began to pick up even more as people were anticipating the show they really came for.
Voices in the crowd rose to a thrilling rumble of sound when the Beatopia Cultsong came blaring through the speakers at 9:00 pm. This escalated to a roar when Beabadoobee entered the stage and opened with her song 10:36.
There was something for returning fans and new listeners alike as she played classics such as She Plays Bass and Care, to new fan favourites like Sunny Day and The Perfect Pair.
Throughout the night, the momentum of the crowd remained constant as fans jumped at every chorus and sang loud enough for any passers-by in the street to hear. One song that went down particularly well was See You Soon, during the chorus of which, fans delivered an angelic rendition of the song without missing a beat. This confirmed to me that this song is even better when enjoyed with other people.
Before the final song of her three-song encore, Beabadoobee beautifully performed two back-to-back acoustic songs, Ripples and the much loved Coffee. This welcomed a melancholy shift in the tone of the night’s performance and fans were completely captivated by the mellow vibes, giving them the chance to regain their energy before the final song of the night.
Finally, she went out with a bang and got the crowd dancing one last time to the tune of Cologne.
Beabadoobee put on an overall sensational show at Rock City. The room was filled with post-teenage angst and had the perfect soundtrack to accompany it. The twinkly, guitar-heavy songs transport you to a carefree late 90s/early 2000s era and make for an overwhelmingly nostalgic night.
I hope she comes back to Nottingham sometime soon and I’d recommend grabbing a couple of tickets as it will be a night you’ll remember!
Image credits: Courtney Wells