Last weekend we headed to London’s O2 to witness The Vamps play two of their biggest headline shows to date. With three support acts and two sold out nights here’s why we enjoy these shows just so very much!
Opening the show was previous X Factor act Luke Friend. Having distanced himself from this title he was a star in his own right. With a stripped back performance of just him, his guitar and one track, it wasn’t flashy but it was heartfelt. As he performed new single ‘Hole In My Heart’ we found ourselves singing along with our phone light in the air. Bounding around the stage with his acapella tones there’s bigger things coming especially for an artist playing a venue this huge at the start of his career.  You can download his latest single from here.
Since they were announced as being signed to The Vamps Virgin/EMI label the hype around US four piece The Tide was insane and they definitely lived up to expectations. We soon realised that bassist Levi Jones already has a huge fanbase of his own with each night a horde of adoring teenager girls screaming every time he took a single breath. ‘Falling In Love Tonight’ stole the show, as that’s just what we and thousands of others did over the course of the two nights. Their catchy, upbeat pop-rock tracks were amazingly infectious and with a little bit of polishing over stage presence (we’ll let them off considering how HUGE the stage was) they’re going to be ones to watch.
The most established of all the support acts was Union J, yes another X Factor act but this time a completely different affair. Here and now we’ll admit we went in unsure of what to expect as we’ve never been huge fans of the quartet but as soon as they opened with fiery Tonight We Live Forever we were hooked. Playing off each other’s unique vocal ability lead to a tight, well polished set which at points saw them a little overwhelmed by the reaction of the adoring crowd.  What we loved most about their set however was the variation in track style which led us to the absolutely mind blowing ‘Central Park’ line, “I see you standing in a sea of sparks” saw 16,000 fans wave their phone lights in the air sending a shiver down the spine.
Bringing something new to each night was an acapella showcase with the O2 shows having ‘Fourfiveseconds’ and ‘All Of Me’ as their picks. Union J might not strike you as the most vocally talented band but live they proved that they most certainly are. Finishing with ‘You’ve Got It All’, the group of friends we went with and those around us got REALLY into it as we sung back each and every word with intent and passion. Union J entered the O2 with a lot to prove to us, but after two perfected sets we’ll definitely make sure to check them out in the coming months!
Next was the act we’d all been waiting for…. The Vamps. They’ve gone from strength to strength in the nearly four years they’ve been together, and these O2 shows were a culmination of their hard work and determination. Despite playing the O2 multiple times before in the past something was different tonight as they kicked off with anthemic ‘Wild Heart’. Brad Simpson is the hyper kid on sweets which you envy for having that much energy for such a prolonged period of time.
Performing tracks from ‘Risk It All’ to ‘Can We Dance’ there was something for each and every fan to sing their heart out to whilst swooning over the quartet. Adding a special unique touch came with ‘Girls On TV’ providing a chance for a fan and friend to join the band onstage for a selfie and the best seat in the house which saw us and many thousands a little bit jealous…
Each time we’ve seen The Vamps they’ve thrown a cover or two into the mix and this tour proved no different. From My Chemical Romance’s ‘Teenagers’ to Sum 41’s ‘In Too Deep’, which saw Darth Vader taking on a guitar role, that’s something you don’t see every day! Often drummers can be overlooked sadly, due to their placing onstage, but Tristan Evans made sure this wasn’t the case with an intensive drum solo seeing him rise on a platform and captivate the crowds attention. James McVey had the most heart warming staring moment with track ‘Move My Way’, the emotion felt through his voice and body stance was haunting. From flames to fireworks to fan favourites it was the ultimate happiness package and to witness it two nights in a row was nothing short of a pop filled dream.
As the closer, ‘Can We Dance’ came around, the crowd were up on their feet proving that they can certainly dance. With the liveliest, most energetic and exciting live show we’ve witnessed in months it’s safe to say The Vamps deserve every bit of the success coming their way. We’re excited to see the live DVD which was filmed at the first show when it comes with the band’s new album due for release 27th November.
