Grantham-born singer-songwriter Holly Humberstone wrapped up her Sleep Tight world tour on December 4 at Rock City, with it proving to be a particularly special hometown show.
As fans lined Talbot Street on this cold December evening, the excitement could be sensed as it started to edge closer to 7pm, with supporters at the front of the queue handing out small pieces of paper reading ‘The truth is, I had my best nights with you’, ensuring that everybody could get involved with this warming fan project.
2022 has been a whirlwind for Humberstone, with some of the highlights including supporting rapidly rising artist Olivia Rodrigo on the American leg of her SOUR tour, performing at both Coachella and Glastonbury, and even releasing her debut album Can You Afford To Lose Me?
However, this show was set to be one of the most special moments of this year, with it being Humberstone’s first-time headlining Rock City, a venue which she regularly visited as a teen allowing her to reflect on her career which only began in the pandemic.
After playing Rescue Rooms in November 2021, this transition has certainly cemented Humberstone’s well-deserved growth in the music industry over the past year.
The night’s opening act was Adam Melchor. After also releasing his new album Here Goes Nothing! this year, the singer quickly captivated the audience with his soft vocals and deeply personal lyrics.
His set included songs ‘Real Estate’ and ‘Joyride’, while Melchor even encouraged an audience sing-along during ‘Rest of my Night’.
As the time reached 9pm, the lights inside the venue began to dim as the anticipation within the crowd peaked and Humberstone’s introduction began to play through the speakers.
The set began with the title track of her 2021 EP release, ‘The Walls Are Way Too Thin’.
The set was compiled of a range of songs expanding across her entire discography, including early releases ‘Vanilla’ and ‘Overkill’, as well as more recent releases ‘London is Lonely’ and ‘Sleep Tight’.
Holly also took the time between each song to truly explain their meanings, allowing the audience to gain a deeper insight into her artistry and feel connected to her on a more personal level.
One of the highlights of the show featured support Adam Melchor, who was welcomed back on stage by Humberstone in the middle of the song ‘Deep End’ to perform a duet of her first 2020 release.
Melchor’s mellow harmonies complimented the song very well and it was clear to see that there is a strong friendship between Humberstone and himself.
Another highlight of the night was watching the success of the fan project, as an overwhelming majority of the crowd held up their banners during ‘Vanilla’, which read ‘The truth is, I had my best nights with you’ playing on the lyrics, ‘The truth is, I had my best nights without you’.
Humberstone herself was most definitely overjoyed to see this heart-warming gesture.
As Humberstone exited the stage, chants within the crowd began to rise, including ‘one more song’ and ‘Scarlett’– her most streamed and arguably most popular song.
It was therefore no surprise when she returned with her band to finish the set with this soaring synth-pop tune which was released last year, with the crowd screaming the angsty second verse of this fan-favourite.
Holly Humberstone’s musical talent and passion most definitely shone through, with the growth in her stage presence and confidence being remarkable since her last Nottingham show.
We hope to welcome her back home to Nottingham as her career continues to flourish.
Image Credits: Hannah Adams