The infamous singer-songwriter held the audience at the O2 Academy Sheffield in the palm of his hands with his life-affirming indie rock.
After Jamie Treays, AKA Jamie T, made his triumphant return to live music at Glastonbury in June after a five-year hiatus, fans across the country were waiting with bated breath for a UK tour to be announced.
Closing his legendary set to a packed John Peel tent he thanked his audience by saying that “he couldn’t give a f*ck” if anyone comes to see him any more. “I’d play to an empty room,” he said. “I don’t care.”
This won’t be happening anytime soon though, as the 36-year-old’s UK tour showcasing his new album The Theory of Whatever sold out in mere minutes.
We were lucky enough to attend his gig at the O2 Academy in Sheffield which saw the snaggle-toothed guitarist transport his audience back to the noughties with a night of mayhem and bedlam.
Entrance to the O2 Academy in Sheffield was stress-free and efficient, we had our tickets checked in no time, drinks served within minutes and we felt in safe hands throughout.
Taking to the stage dressed in a navy oversized denim jacket, matching jeans and a black baseball cap, Jamie T had the crowd roaring from the moment a single chord was heard from his acoustic guitar.
Openers ’90s Cars’ and ‘Old Style Raiders’ are both tracks from his new album and were met with elated cheers, the crowd trying their best to keep up with his fast paced, rap-style singing which is undeniably recognised as his trademark sound.
‘So Lonely Was the Ballad’ takes us promptly back to the mid-noughties and reminds us of the time when T’s speak-singing, half-rap, idiosyncratic beat had us all glued to our portable CD players.
A two-song acoustic interlude is punctuated with a dimming of the lights and a band member perching on a stool with a ukulele, the crowd were given a time to breathe and take in the pure brilliance of Jamie and his talented band.
“This is our last song,” T tells the crowd before launching into an electric version of ‘If You Got The Money’, and from here on out it’s a sea of air-punching, flailing limbs across the floor.
Jamie and his band walk off stage, the crowd is pulsating with anticipation to finally rock out to arguably his three biggest tracks.
The intro to ‘Sheila’ draws the biggest roar of the night, with the opening lyrics ‘Sheila goes out with her mate Stella’ sung unanimously in perfect synchronisation across the 2,300 capacity of the O2.
Next up the moment we’ve all been waiting for, ‘Sticks n Stones’ causes an eruption of excitement with the floor pounding thanks to a rhythmic thundering of feet.
To finish an incredible night, the melodic opening of ‘Zombie’ had us eagerly anticipating the artist’s most iconic chorus. Jamie teased us with a “wait for it…” and then after allowing a monumental mosh pit to form in the centre of the floor, shocked us with an electric closing performance of the iconic track.
Two thousand people left sweaty, smiling and singing along to Jamie T’s iconic repertoire of anthems. The way he commanded his audience after a notable time out of the spotlight was truly impressive and marks his position as a legend of British indie music.
The singer-songwriter is continuing his tour across the UK which ends in Portsmouth on 22 November 2022. If you didn’t manage to grab tickets to this tour, next summer the Londoner will play his biggest headline show to date at the 45,000 capacity Finsbury Park.
Thank you to Chuff Media for inviting us to this event.
Read more: The Hoot Meets: Swim Deep on the Otley Run, The Wardrobe and a decade of indie-pop
Feature image – Chuff Media, Will Robson-Scott
PR Invite – gifted
