Chris Young’s performance at Hammersmith Apollo was one for the books, with powerful vocals Young made the stage his own, demonstrating his worth in booking out this larger venue, performing songs spanning the duration of his career, alongside covers and a few new numbers. Supported by Lindsay Ell, the show was a showcase in high energy performing from start to finish.
Young has been making his way steadily into the UK hearts, having toured over here for many years. His last performance this side of the pond was at C2C in 2017, warming up the stage for Brad Paisley. Since then he has released his ‘Losing Sleep’ album. Having not been the biggest fan of this last album, it was hard to know what to expect from the ‘Losing Sleep’ tour, however Young managed to not just perform a riotously good set but also make another believer in this last project.
The audience were treated to more than their money’s worth, with Young staying true to his promise to play right up to his curfew, and this London set extended by 4 songs more than that on the rest of his UK tour.
Young stormed onto the stage to the sounds of ‘Hangin’ On.’ It was a marker of just how good an entertainer Young is that he was able to electrify the crowd from the minute he walked onto the stage. The crowd responded well to the entirety of Young’s set, belting the songs back to him with gusto. It was clear he was buoyed up with the energy of the crowd and their response, feeding off their enthusiasm and riotous applause.
Just when I thought the crowd were set for the night, Young dived into his next song ‘Gettin’ You Home’ that was greeted by a yet greater response, as were its follow-ups ‘Lonely Eyes’ and ‘Who I Am With You.’ Every track was another powerful reminder of just how many hits Young has had in the duration of his career. Gettin’ You Home from his 2009 album ‘The Man I Want To Be’ had just the same rapturous response as ‘Hangin’ On’ from his most recent album ‘Losing Sleep.’ Though the keyboard player may have learned ‘She’s Got This Thing About Her’ (from his 2011 ‘Neon’ album) twenty minutes earlier, it was clear that the crowd had had the track on repeat for eight years.
Young’s vocals throughout were sublime, from the swelling ballads of ‘Who I Am With You’ to the more gritty tracks like ‘I Take It From There,’ where he was able to exhibit his Southern drawl to its full extent. Despite the enormity of the Apollo, where Young really excelled was his ability to make the concert appear personal and inviting. His endearing personality ensured that the audience laughed along and hung on his every word. His parents, in attendance that night, must have been brimming with pride. The response to his current single, ‘Raised On Country,’ made it yet clearer how engaged his fanbase in the UK is with his success. Personal highlights from the night came from the poignant ‘Sober Saturday Night’ and ‘Think of You.’ It was surprising that Young did not bring Lindsay Ell out for this last.
The only faltering note from the set itself did not come from Young, but a rather curious cover of Prince’s ‘Kiss’ from his college friend who stormed the stage with an unusual falsetto. Apart from that, the other covers on Young’s set list were shrewdly chosen and performed with aplomb, including a Garth Brooks, Doug Stone and Keith Whitley cover.
It was good to see Young try out new song ‘Hold My Beer, Watch This’ on the crowd. If the song is a marker of the new album, along with ‘Raised on Country’ the new project is bound to be raucous – both in success and sound.
Young, true to his promise, gave the crowd their money’s worth, performing right up till the latest moment possible, filling out the set with ‘Text Me Texas’ – requested by the audience – and ‘Aw Naw.’ He proved his worth as a heavyweight performer in the country industry, and the performance solidified my surprise that he has not earned more award nominations to his name. As a vocalist, Young belongs among the ranks of Stapleton and Urban and as a performer he deserves more credit for the warmth and charisma he brings to the stage – it is not everyone who can make the Apollo feel as intimate as the Borderline (RIP). We’re now eagerly awaiting Young’s next project in hopes that it brings him the recognition he so clearly deserves.
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Set list:
- Hangin’ On
- Gettin’ You Home
- Lonely Eyes
- Losing Sleep
- Who I Am With You
- I Can Take It From There
- She’s Got This Thing About Her
- Raised On Country
- I’m Coming’ Over
- Voices
- Kiss (Prince Cover)
- Sober Saturday Night
- Think Of You
- Don’t Close Your Eyes (Keith Whitley cover)
- I Thought It Was You (Doug Stone cover)
- Papa Loved Mama (Garth Brooks cover)
- You
- Save Water, Drink Beer
- Hold My Beer, Watch This
- Tomorrow
- Text Me Texas
- Aw Naw
