Before performing her song ‘Deep End’, Holly Humberstone stated how excited she was to perform at such an “iconic” venue. Were those crammed into UEA’s LCR witnessing another iconic moment, where this young Grantham-born singer-songwriter was on her way to be part of UEA gigging folklore?
Humberstone’s debut album, Can You Afford to Lose Me?, is a compilation of tracks from the EPs she has released since 2020. The tracks are a collection of deeply emotional indie-pop observations, most with a brooding tone. With Humberstone accompanied by a full band, it was obvious that there would be a new interpretation of some of her songs.
The concert opened with the 2021 track ‘The Walls Are Way Too Thin’; the singer and her guitar took centre stage on a platform lit by brightly coloured spotlights casting an orange-red hue. Humberstone commanded the stage in her Olvia Rodrigo-esque (she supported Rodrigo on her USA tour) pop-punk outfit of heavy platformed boots and metal-garnished mini-skirt. Above the steady electro-pop rhythm and subtle electronic guitar, the singer’s fragile vocals projected into the packed venue. The artist’s spine-tingling vocals allow her to beautifully capture the emotional nuances of the song, about living in her first flat in London.
With barely a breath, Humberstone belted into the powerhouse pop of ‘Vanilla’ which perfectly showcased the range of her vocals from deep staccato Swift-esque delivery to soaring falsetto. Then, with Humberstone’s live singing abilities already showcased, she perfectly demonstrated her musical skills as the tempo slowed for ‘Please Don’t Leave Me Just Yet’. Under soft purple lighting, she took to the keyboard for the gentle eighties-influenced electro-ballad.
The emotional power of the gig didn’t just come from Humberstone’s undoubted vocal and musical ability. She took the opportunity to add new emotional depth to her studio recordings and connect with her audience. There have been many good artists who can recreate their studio albums in a live environment. The great ones use live music to pull the audience into their mindset and add additional hues to the emotional colour palette of their work. Just as the lighting enhanced the mood, Humberstone chose to engage with the audience and set the context.
The singer-songwriter introduced ‘Can You Afford To Lose Me?’ by saying she was working on her new album “really slowly.” She described how writing is “really stressing me out” and that she is a “perfectionist” who tends to “overthink”. The new track shows that Humberstone was right to say that she had written songs that she loved. As with the other new song ‘London is Lonely’, played earlier in the set, this was a soothing keyboard-driven ballad. Breathy vocals transfixed the audience and perfectly conveyed the end of a relationship. The emotional impact of the song is greater live than on the album, as demonstrated by the audience gently singing along to the final bars.
Similarly, the live performance enhances ‘Deep End’. Humberstone introduced the song by describing how she wrote it for someone who was having “a tough time with mental health.” She admitted that, at times, she had found it frustrating that her friend had been hurting but “wanted to write the song to say she was there for her.” ‘Deep End’ has always had an emotional punch but, as a duet with support act— Adam Melchor— the understated delivery felt all the more powerful.
The gig was peppered with other beautiful moments, such as on ‘Friendly Fire’, where Humberstone’s introductions added extra depth to the song. However, the stand-out moments were when the band kicked loose and she just had fun. ‘Overkill’ was a particular highlight. The upbeat pop number was transformed into a live anthem with a searing guitar riff from lead guitarist Sofia and Humberstone showcasing her abilities with the Stratocaster as the song closed.
Unsurprisingly, ‘Falling Asleep at the Wheel’ was another fan favourite, including an acapella audience singalong, before a full electronic finish. Two days previously, Humberstone had played her biggest gig at the O2 Brixton Academy. It was clear that the artist was having, as she declared, the “funnest time” on stage. The gig finished in a blaze of anthemic glory. ‘Sleep Tight’ was a joyous blend of catchy vocals, twangy country-esque guitars and audience dancing.
There was no doubt that Humberstone had left her mark on the LCR but, she saved the best for the encore. Fans were clamouring for ‘Scarlett’ before the band stepped back on stage. Everyone was treated to duetting guitars and crashing drums before Humberstone switched to the song’s slow keyboard opener. The opening moments tease the audience before the track rebuilds to its soaring crescendo. ‘Scarlett’ was a kaleidoscope of strobe lighting, guitar and keyboard riffs and the singer dancing to an audience swept up in the moment.
As the final chords rang out from Humberstone’s Stratocaster, up came the house lights. It was too early to say whether the UEA audience had just witnessed another iconic gig from a future star. The live set demonstrated just how far Humberstone has come, in a short time, from her first EP. This had been an hour of perfection from a performer blending powerhouse indie-pop, poignant ballads and terrific musicianship into a set while connecting with the audience. For the fans fervently grabbing souvenir posters at the exit, it may be worth hanging onto this piece of LCR history.
Words and Photos by Andrew Butcher
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