There was already an electric atmosphere at The Piece Hall, before a passing thunder and lightning storm delayed the start of Loyle Carner’s show.
Children of Zeus sparked things into life with a short DJ set then with Tyler Daley and Konny Kon exploding on to stage to deliver a strong set.
Moments before Carner was due to hit the stage, lightning flashed above the Piece Hall, and the dramatic skies brought a temporary halt to proceedings, with the safety of the crowd paramount in the excellent security team’s mind.
20 minutes late, Carner finally makes his way on to the stage, humbly acknowledging the crowd and apologising for the delay. “Sorry we’re late man” he said, “but we made it!” The mellow, chilled out sounds that are Loyle Carner’s trademark are well suited to this venue. Once the threat of rain passed, the crowd were ready to lean into a set that was beautifully curated to deliver honest and vulnerable lyricism, but also some higher energy moments.
None was more beautiful than just 3 songs in. A young fan is hoisted high on his friends shoulders, singing along to every lyric of Ain’t Nothing Changed, with all his heart. At the end of the song, Carner jumps down from the stage and calls the fan to the barrier. When he has pushed his way through the crowd, Carner throws his arms around him in a long, emotional embrace.
A long way from what some might associate with rap and hip hop, Carner is vulnerable and opens up at several points. On a couple of occasions, he talks to us about his son, who has recently been along for the ride on the tour. Introducing Homerton, he reminisces about spending time with him, waking up in different countries, exploring, not knowing what they’d find. You can really feel how much he misses him being part of his life on the road.
He talks about his boy again, before Still, which is a song that he was initially nervous to put out. It’s one where he feels most vulnerable, explaining how a song of self doubt, of softness, when growing up in Croydon, was difficult to release. He links this to his son, by encouraging him to be open about how he feels, articulate his emotions and “fuck all that toxic masculinity bullshit”.
Carner brings the dancing at the end of the night, starting with A Lasting Place, and rounding things out with Ottolenghi, from his 2019 record Not Waving But Drowning.
We got to experience something special in Halifax, where we got to know Loyle Carner in his vulnerable, honest glory. He connected with the crowd in a genuine way, through the stories between songs, but mostly through the authenticity of the lyrics. We felt an artist rising, towards the peak of his powers, one who can inspire with his lyrics. No more so, than the poem that served as an encore. Powerfully delivered, and dedicated to his family, he shared one more piece of himself before extolling the crowd to “take these words and go forward”.
