Although the national lockdown seems like centuries ago, one activity I certainly missed during this unprecedented time, was attending a good old fashioned music gig.
There are many reasons why I love a gig – the energetic atmosphere, delightful alcoholic beverages and meeting like-minded people in the crowd are to name a few.
But the main reason – of course – is being able to watch my favourite artists perform in the same very room as me.
Tom Walker, the alternative artist who is known for his hit singles Leave A Light On and Better Half of Me, performed at the Omera in Southwark last Thursday night – and I was lucky enough to attend.
Omera, located just a five minute walk from London Bridge station, holds a capacity of 320 guests and is a hotspot for emerging talent to make their mark.
Tom, who won a BRIT award for British Breakthrough Act in 2019, has already risen to the fame - but that didn’t stop him putting on an intimate, phenomenal gig for his dedicated London fans.
Following the success of the warm up act, Ewan Mainwood, the crowd was already beaming with energy, eager for Tom to take the stage at 9pm.
Tom opened his show with one of his well-known tunes, Not Giving In – which is said to be about a homeless woman he once made acquaintances with.
The crowd was instantly booming with excitement – myself and my friend included, as we sang and danced from the beginning to end of the gig.
Four musicians joined Tom on the stage – a guitarist/vocalist, drummer, keyboardist and pianist, all talented individuals that made the performance next level.
Tom, who once used to busk in the streets of London, sang tracks from his hit album, What a Time to be Alive, and chatted to the crowd throughout the performance, giving shoutouts to his family and soon to be wife – who was stood right behind me.
Not only does Tom have an incredibly distinctive vocal voice, but he also demonstrated his skills on the guitar – hitting every chord and melody for each song.
Towards the end of the show, Tom handed out a disposable camera to the crowd - insisting everyone took a picture and passed it on to the next, right until there was no film left to be used.
After an hour of great music, it was time for the gig to come to an end, but not before performing his ultimate track, Leave A Light On.
The atmosphere was remarkable - every single person was singing along, including me, with flashlights swaying left to right inside the intimate venue.
The experience was much greater than expected.
I knew Tom could sing, but I didn’t know his talents expanded past his vocals.
Tom Walker put on an extraordinary show – and I know I can speak for everyone who was stood in the audience too.
There’s nothing quite like attending a gig.
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