After two long years of empty arenas, Stormzy returned to Leeds’ First Direct Arena with two-hour set of his best hits- and it was well worth the wait.
Headlining the First Direct Arena yesterday evening was none other than the UK’s favourite grime artist, Stormzy.
The original Heavy is the Head UK tour was due to commence in 2020, but we all know how that ended. After a long two year hiatus of absent music, empty stadiums and lost fans, the music industry is slowly returning to its former glory- with no expense spared.
You can tell that Leeds’ been itching to return to the arena. Live music has been a legal activity for quite some time now, but it’s taken a good few months- or perhaps just the need for a huge headline act to bring the city out of its reclusive state and into a music venue once more.
The Hoot was lucky enough to experience Stormzy’s return to the stage from the First Direct Suite. The private suites host up to sixteen spots with a prime view of the stage.
Before we watched Stormzy entertain the crowd, we rubbed shoulders with Leeds United legend Kalvin Phillips (who we later found out was on his way to meet the headliner himself); sipped on drinks from the private booth and shared nervous-excited giggles with some of Leeds’ best-known socialites whilst waiting for the two hour performance to begin.
As for the show itself, we’ve never experienced such an incredible performance in the luxury of the VIP suite.
Ever-humbling, Stormzy shared the limelight with his sister all evening long. Gig-goers arrived to the beat of sibling Rachel Anson’s DJ set, hasting grabbing drinks whilst eager teens practised lyrics to the headliner’s act as they swarmed the standing area with hours to spare and a nervous buzz echoed around the arena. Still, without fault, all eyes remained on the stage, waiting for the grime icon to appear on stage.
Stormzy is known for his incredible live performances, steeped in political agendas that unite crowds, even at gigs as large as Glastonbury.
Back in 2019, his memorable Glastonbury set featured a speech by the politician David Lammy, discussions of black and minority ethnic groups in the British criminal justice system. His Glasto debut was the same performance that featured the singer dressed in a Union Jack stab vest designed and the crowd sang the synonymous lines “f**k the government and f**k Boris” all afternoon long.
The same team have been a huge part of the Heavy is the Head UK tour and the two years of preparation was an obvious triumph from the organisers. Minuscule details like lighting changes and lavish backdrops effortlessly changed with each beat and asserted the performers’ reputation as the UK’s biggest rapper.
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The third night of the rappers long-awaited UK and Ireland tour kicked off in Leeds with Big Michael, the opening track of his latest album as he stood, taking in the 13,000 strong crowd, whilst descending into the First Direct Arena.
The well-rehearsed set transcended into a pyrotechnic performance of his best-selling hits, featuring verse-upon-verse of fast paced, effortless rap. Flirting between his original grime tracks that projected the artist to fame and his soulful, heartfelt performances of smash-hits like Heavy is the Head that slowed the tempo and provided ample opportunity of backup singers, a saxophonist and a trumpeter to announce their influence on the genre.
Throughout the set, the London-based artist payed homage to the city of Leeds, reminding the audience that his last performance in our city was at Leeds Festival 2021, where we’re certain that the internationally-acclaimed artist would have experienced the unique atmosphere and sensational crowds that the bestselling festival greets every headline act with.
With this in mind, Stormzy graciously complementing Leeds as a city, as well as a festival destination, deeming it one his favourite cities to perform in. The crowd was roaring and rewarded the rapper’s kind words with applause and an increased enthusiasm for the rest of the set.
Like any international artist, his most popular singles were saved for the encore. Stormzy’s final five songs had the crowd on their feet without faltering as they shouted the words to Clash, Big for your Boots and Shut Up before the artist made an announcement about his third studio album.
The concert finished with a soulful performance of Blinded By Your Grace Pt. 2 with interludes from a gospel choir before Stormzy closed the show with Vossi Bop, once again showcasing his talent in a variety of rap styles.
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Stormzy is continuing his tour across the UK and Ireland, performing on Friday 18 March in Sheffield before travelling to Manchester on Saturday and finishing his weekend at Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena.
Feature Image- Ant Longstaff
