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Review: The Vamps, O2 – ‘An uplifting night deep-rooted in nostalgia’
With Bristol’s centre full of adolescents in fresh-faced boy band t-shirts, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was 2014 again.
A decade’s passed since we were first introduced to the four teenagers singing about coming-of-age, with a few cliché love songs thrown in for good measure, on The Vamps’ debut album Meet The Vamps.
To celebrate the milestone the band are back on the road playing the deluxe album in full, transporting thousands of young adults back to simpler times with the band they’ve grown up with.
is needed now More than ever
But leave all your preconceptions at the door; they’re not boybanders in a teeny-bopper, highly choreographed dance routine sense.
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It may come as a surprise, but they’re renowned musicians, every member of the band solidifying their individual talents: there’s rock guitar solos, guitarist James McVey takes over vocal duties for Move My Way, and drummer Tristan Evans even has his own three-minute drum solo mid-set.
Yet, it’s hard to imagine frontman Bradley Simpson doing anything else; he has the crowd in his palm from the get-go, constantly playing to his audience, and as he makes full use of the Academy – always anywhere but the mic-stand – it’s undeniable he’s a born performer.
The show starts, as the album does, with Wild Heart, the crowd reciprocating the band’s unwavering energy, the lyrics letting us into a bit of what we’re to expect: “Tonight we’ll dance, I’ll be yours and you’ll be mine, we won’t look back, take my hand and we will shine.”
Arms are waving in the air, and every word is screamed, often encouraged by Simpson, who takes some satisfying regarding the volume of the words sung back.
High-energy throwback pop songs depicting the highs and lows of teenage house parties are broken up by an acoustic segment, all members of the band sitting on stools downstage, offering a more intimate setting.
The band broke off for a low-key acoustic moment with the drummer on cajon
It’s evident the show’s been carefully crafted with the fans at the forefront, connection being valuable for both band and fans alike. Deep-cut Jack is a prime example.
An unreleased song that had previously not been played live, it made its way into the set due to its status as a fan-favourite, and really earns its place among the most dedicated in the crowd.
Fittingly, it’s also one of the more representative songs of the era, the lyrics narrating fears about a love-interest’s much classier boyfriend said to “drink Daniels at the bar” and “wear clothes with Wills on the tag”.
However, it’s the song that started it all, Can We Dance, which feels like the cornerstone of the live set. Simpson performs on top of speakers, before jumping off stage and holding the hands of those in the front row.
For The Vamps, it’s clear it’s all about the fans
Standing up onto the barricade for the final chorus, he instructs everyone to “sing it at the top of [their] lungs.” As he insists everyone get down as low as they can and stay there until he says so, the atmosphere peaks when the entire standing area is left bouncing.
Yet in complete contrast, Shout About It sees phone torches lighting up the Academy, complete with stripped-back vocals, softer harmonies and atmospheric slide guitar. There’s a sense of sincerity, despite the heights the band have reached these past ten years.
But ultimately, it’s all deep-rooted in the fans and a lot of what makes the show feel so special, and what elevates the performance further than just the standard of which the music is executed is the audience interaction that happens between almost every song.
The band are celebrating ten years in the business
Whether it’s through banter, reading out signs and singing happy birthday, dressing up in the fans’ accessories or throwing guitar picks into the crowd as soon as a song is over, it’s reinforced throughout that the band wouldn’t be here without this community they’ve built.
The encore lasts a further half an hour, Simpson opting to play a grand piano on stage, doodled all over by fans in VIP sessions over the years. Another World offers another breather, before bassist Connor Ball stands on top of the piano to play his instrument for more recent release, Married In Vegas.
Bradley acknowledges the significance Risk It All has found amongst the fans, before the first verse is delivered in a more tender and stripped back style to its studio recording.
Closing out the night is Somebody To You which offers one final party, the frontman encouraging everyone in the standing area to put their phones away, get on each other’s shoulders and put their arms in the air.
The show was full of theatrics with the band using the stage and all its furniture to full advantage
It’s these final moments of pure euphoria that encapsulate the true essence of The Vamps show and their continued importance within pop music.
Each song in the set fulfilled the nostalgic element of the tour, and I’m sure we’ll meet again to sing all these songs in another ten.
But until then, we’re left to reminisce on the joy and catharsis The Vamps brought to the O2. After all, “Last night think we were dancing, singing all our favourite songs”.
All images: Katie Hillier
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