Sam Smith Albert Hall review: ‘A stunning reinvention’

The performance in Manchester marked the continuation of a new era for Smith, who has abandoned the heavy choreography and big-budget productions of the ‘Gloria’ tour in favour of stripped-back residency shows that have seen them perform a multitude of dates in New York, San Francisco and Mexico City before returning to the UK for two nights at the Albert Hall.

Seeing an artist of Smith’s calibre happily select smaller, intimate venues for the ‘To Be Free’ run was a welcome surprise, but it’s a decision that has ultimately paid dividends for them. The run has provided a unique, up-close showcase for ‘Hazel Eyes’, creating an opportunity for greater shared energy, a tighter bond between the audience and artist alike and that stripped-back musical connection has allowed Smith to place the vocal performance and the emotion of the music at the forefront of these shows.

The approach was certainly welcomed by the capacity crowd who greeted Smith with a rapturous applause as they opened the performance with a piano-driven ‘Love Is A Stillness’, allowing Smith’s delicate yet soulful vocals to soar inside the intimate Grade II listed building.

‘I’m Not The Only One’ commanded a big singalong, echoing the strength of the communal spirit in the venue. “Hello everyone,” Smith said, almost drowned out by the applause, “I feel there’s a lot of love in here,” they weren’t wrong. ‘My Guy’, delivered with tight drumming, a thick bass and a rich yet spacious piano part, was perfectly arranged to enrich the emotion of the song and complement Smith’s vocal. ‘Lay Me Down’ saw Smith take a backseat to watch their three backing vocalists take over on lead vocals, with a smile on their face.

‘Too Good At Goodbyes’, complemented with an urgent yet rich piano line and steady, driving drumming, saw Smith absorb the atmosphere by allowing the audience to sing directly to them, underlining the communal joy that seeing an artist of Smith’s calibre inside an intimate venue brings.’Constant Companion’ saw the track delivered with acoustic warmth, a mildly overdriven guitar and a pulsating bass line, establishing the song’s classic Western and cinematic atmosphere.

“I can’t express to you how happy I am to be here,” an overjoyed Smith declared. The performance at the Albert Hall was a full circle moment for the 34-year-old, who actually performed at the venue on October, 30th 2014 when they were just 22-years-old and the aforementioned ‘Hazel Eyes’ album has a notable connection with the city as Smith worked closely Simon Aldred on the record after previously collaborating with Aldred on ‘Leave Your Lover’ from their debut album.

Smith spoke about wanting to honour Aldred and vowed they’d never stay the same. Smith’s willingness to constantly reinvent their self has been a resounding success and this is arguably their best reinvention yet.

‘Hazel Eyes’ was delivered with a bright acoustic guitar and some intricate drumming that was executed by hand rather than sticks. ‘Moondance’ blended a dark, haunting piano line with punchy drums and some guitar distortion. The drumming on ‘Dancing With A Stranger’ was locked in on the hi-hat and snare with a punchy bass line adding to the arrangement as the song sparked a euphoric singalong. ‘How Do You Sleep?’ was delivered with hypnotic synths and saw Smith cover every inch of the Albert Hall stage. The piano-driven balladry of ‘Burning’ allowed Smith’s soaring vocals to take centre stage. The propulsive synths and unique drumming that included utilising a thick metal chain on a bass drum, giving the song a deep resonant punch. “It’s so good to be back. Thanks so much for your patience,” Smith said before wrapping up the evening with the joyous singalongs of ‘Hold On’ and ‘Stay With Me’.

Tickets to see Smith’s second Albert Hall show are available here.