The O2 Forum Kentish Town was Gartland’s largest show yet on ‘The Hero Tour’. This was not just a concert; it was an event – an occasion to dress up for.
Following support sets from twst and Hohnen Ford, ‘Holding Out For a Hero’ by Bonnie Tyler played as Gartland’s band entered the stage. As soon as Gartland launched into ‘SOUND OF LETTING GO’, the crowd’s energy was electric, charged by Gartland herself who jumped and danced across the stage with ease. It was apparent the stage is nothing new to Gartland. The powerful drum line – courtesy of drummer Sara Leigh Shaw - throughout the verses was accompanied by the audience who jumped and clapped along to the beat.
This was shortly followed by ‘Kiss Ur Face Forever’ another track with strong rock influences. Gartland’s incredible stage presence was undeniable. Next up was ‘Codependency’, with tone shifts from sweet to angry reminiscent of Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘All American Bitch’, the electricity in the room was only growing.
Introducing the next song, ‘Three Words Away’, Gartland’s “villain anthem” (she told the audience) the eruption of cheers made it clear this was a fan favourite. As soon as the beat dropped to start the chorus, it was impossible to spot someone not dancing. The catharsis of screaming the lyrics “Three words away / From absolutely fucking ruining your life” was palpable. The next track, ‘You’re Not Special Babe’, was another with an infectious angry tone and easily danceable chorus, evidently another fan favourite.
The set then shifted to more acoustic tracks, starting with ‘More Like You’ – the perfect transition while maintaining her signature biting lyricism. The screams and jumps of the audience were replaced with soft singing and swaying for ‘Madison’, ‘Simple’ and ‘Mine’. The setlist was faultlessly crafted, an ideal exhibition of Gartland’s discography. ‘Why Am I Like This?’, closed the acoustic set. A sense of Nostalgia flooded the forum, an emotional track which featured in Netflix series Heartstopper, Gartland’s teenage audience related to the struggles of adolescence reflected in the song.
It was now time for the rock tracks to start back up again with ‘Now What?’ a Paramore style track – which, despite being unreleased, was memorised by her committed fans. Gartland clearly indicates despite releasing her latest album ‘Everybody Needs a Hero’ last October, Gartland shows no slide of slowing down. We are then told the show is “All party from here on out”, before Gartland began with her cover of Chappell Roan’s ‘Red Wine Supernova’, an excellently done cover, well received by the audience, of which had an obvious overlap with Roan’s. For ‘Backseat Driver’, Gartland’s audience interactions were at their peak, splitting the crowd in half to sing in the build up to the final chorus, with obvious punk influences, the intensity of artists like Lambrini Girls are undeniable. The impressive crowd control did not stop there for ‘Zombie’ and ‘Late To The Party’. Although they marked the end of the main set, both Gartland maintained their undying enthusiasm and momentum.
For the encore, Gartland began with ‘Fault Line’, chosen by a somewhat rigged spin the wheel game with a fan brought on stage. ‘Everybody Needs a Hero’, the title track of the album, which Gartland affectionately described as a reminder that “Even a girlboss needs a little kiss on the forehead sometimes”. The song starts slower, with raw and vulnerable lyrics, but as the bass and drums kick in halfway through the song, it transforms into a punchy pop rock track with painfully relatable lyrics.
The show ended with ‘little chaos’, another obvious crowd pleaser as well as Gartland’s heaviest track, making it a perfect ending. It was evident Gartland knew exactly what she needed to do to please her fans, leaping into the crowd to stage dive, building excitement before the final chorus of the night. Looking out to the audience, Gartland shook her head in awe, this show was obviously a massive milestone for her.
From explosive anthems to delicate acoustic tracks, Gartland showcased the emotional depth of her lyricism. With a Glastonbury slot and North America Tour on the horizon, there is no doubt Gartland can put on an amazing show. The show was just a glimpse of her music as she continues to evolve, with an ever-growing fanbase to support her.
Talia Burnton
Images: Finn Delisle
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