Sam Fender at Finsbury Park, London UK

Gig Review and Photos by Katie Hillier (of Silence & Sound)

Additional Photos by Lia Qin

Introduction and Image by Emma Bowen

I'm throwing myself back into the world of music journalism with a little introduction about one of my personal favourite gigs last year as well. Sam Fender at Finsbury Park, his biggest show yet, echoing his voice across a field of over 40,000 fans.

This iconic performance took place in North London on July 15th 2022, one of the hottest and sweatiest days of Summer. I went to the festival with my dad and sister, mainly to see Sam but also his friends that he'd brought along to play with him - Fontaines DC, STONE, Declan McKenna, Heidi Curtis and more.

Photo By Emma Bowen

After a couple of pints, a few trips back and forth between the two stages and a catch up with all of my friends I saw there, it was finally time to settle down for the main show. 7 months later and I can still picture it perfectly, the sun was settling down and the park was covered with a Geordie sea of bucket hats and Newcastle flags flying high.

I saw Sam for the first time back in November of 2021 at Alexandra Palace. I know that was a big moment for him and that this was even bigger. Sam, his incredible band and all of the crowd that night were buzzing with unstoppable energy - there were mosh pits, flames and fireworks - I couldn't have asked for a better combination.

We're very lucky to have our guest writer Katie from Silence & Sound telling you all about her memories of the night - enjoy!

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When asked to write a piece on my favourite gig of 2022, admittedly, I was unsure as I was lucky enough to have been in attendance of so many incredible shows this year. But on reflection, the concert I was to write about was blatantly obvious.

On the hottest day of the year, here in the UK, I headed to London to see an artist that I've been very vocally loving for quite a few years now. Following 4 failed attempts of seeing him over the course of around 3 years (cancellations due to artist's illness, Covid disruptions and tickets selling out as my credit card details were being processed etc), I finally saw my favourite musician, Sam Fender, live. And what a show to finally experience his anthemic tunes than at the iconic Finsbury Park, Fender's biggest headline to date.

Arriving later in the evening and armed with a bucket hat in a bid to stay out of the scorching heat for as long as possible, I managed to catch two other incredible acts whom I also adore: Declan McKenna and Fontaines D.C. Having already seen Dec a couple of times before, I was still blown away by the sheer energy he exerts which always is reciprocated in his audiences (today being no exception).

Photos By Lia Qin

However, for Fontaines, it was my first of many gigs of theirs, in a set that left me more obsessed with them than ever before and in desperate need of seeing the Irish quintet a few more times… Gigs are a dangerous game.

Photos By Lia Qin

At 9pm, the moment that I had been yearning for for years prior was finally underway. Despite spending the day convinced the show would be called off minutes before Fender's slot (it would be just my luck), it was happening. As the opening bars of Hypersonic Missiles' hit single, 'Will We Talk?' interrupted between song chats and final calls to the bar, a feeling of pure elation and adrenaline ran through me - a feeling that only intensified as the setlist progressed.

Photo By Lia Qin

For the first half of the set, a sunset of pinks, reds, oranges and purples spilt across the sky above the stage. More recent hits from Fender's latest record 'Getting Started,' 'Spit Of You' and 'Get You Down' encouraged huge sing-alongs, arms around your mates and beers in the air, whilst B-side, 'Howdon Aldi Death Queue,' and EP release, 'Spice,' saw giddy moshing.

Photo By Lia Qin

Speculation rippled across Twitter the night before suggesting that Fender was about to release previously Record Store Day vinyl exclusive track, 'Alright,' on all streaming services (which ended up being true). "This is one of my favourites; it's called 'Alright'" - Fender explained as the crowd erupted for the track's first-ever live outing. Other surprises of the night came from 'Play God' returning to the setlist for the first time in months, as well as a last-minute addition of live rarity, 'Angel In Lothian' (a song from the deluxe release of Fender's sophomore record, which had only been played three times previously and only during the Scottish leg of the tour) during the encore. Under a sky of deep blue shades, the penultimate track preceding the imminent encore (which Fender expressed his discontent for) was the heart-wrenching, goosebump-inducing, second album closer The Dying Light, a stunning piano ballad that builds into a spectacular anthem. On the emotionally charged lyrics on the song's break ("I must repel the dying light/For mum and dad and all my pals/For all the ones who didn't make the night"), gold fireworks were launched from either side of the stage, lighting up the sky above, whilst blue confetti was projected from cannons onstage, fluttering down onto the crowd below. Every emotion I felt upon first listening to the track a year prior came back in floods as my body reacted with shivers, despite the above-thirty-degree heat.

Photo By Lia Qin

The encore kicks off with the crowd solo-singing the chorus to 'Saturday' before Fender and his equally as talented power band accompanied. Huge banger of a hit, 'Seventeen Going Under' was clearly the song that those in attendance had been eagerly awaiting, consequently being met with pure excitement. Every single person sang along in unison to the "oh-woah oh oh/woah-oh"s, which continued long after the final notes of the tune were played, and could still be heard on the journey back to the hotel on the London Underground, slowly fading out as more and more Sam Fender fans arrived at their final destinations.

Photo By Lia Qin

Closing the incredible day of music was "the song that got us in this fucking mess," 'Hypersonic Missiles' (which also lends its name to Fender's immense debut record), in an everything you've got, jumping to the beat high. Every member of the audience knew every word, leaving an echo of voices circulating London's Finsbury Park. Following the milestone show, Sam Fender announced the release of the deluxe version of his second album, Seventeen Going Under, complete with live recordings from the night, physically preserving the memory of a gig I'd been eagerly awaiting forever. Every gig cancellation led up to it, and my God was it all worth it in the end!

Photo By Katie Hillier (Silence and Sound)

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Setlist

Will We Talk?

Getting Started

Dead Boys

Mantra

Better of Me

The Borders

Spice

Howdon Aldi Death Queue

Get You Down

Spit of You

Alright (live debut)

Play God

The Dying Light

Angel in Lothian

Saturday

Seventeen Going Under

Hypersonic Missiles

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Check out Sam Fender on his official website, Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Channel and Instagram.

In 2023, Sam will play live at various locations across the UK and Europe - including his hometown show at St. James Park in Newcastle and headliner slots at Reading & Leeds Festival. For tickets etc. check his website

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We're feeling extremely privileged to have Katie on our page. She runs an amazing music blog site called Silence & Sound where she writes about her gig experiences and new music. Don't miss out and check out their beautiful website & Instagram page (@silenceandsound).

We can't wait to have more of you joining us on A Lucid Dream in 2023. You can send us any idea that you have which can be a gig review/a piece about your favourite records/songs for our playlist...anything, really! We can't wait to hear from you via email (notaluciddream@gmail.com) / Instagram dm (@notaluciddream) / contact form on our website.