Lewis Capaldi brought his unmistakably emotional songs to Liverpool's Sefton Park on a warm Saturday night, and the reaction was immediate. Thousands gathered for Cream's In The Park, but within seconds of Lewis walking onto the stage, the park was full of people singing back at him.
Before long, Lewis was doing what he does best: leaving thousands of people with tears streaming down their faces, both from his comedy and his music. “Liverpool, far too long,” he said shortly after coming on stage. “Time has been flying by. I’ll be dead soon. Last time I was here was 2023. F****** hell. Lightning speed. Some of you weren’t even born.”
A Very Lewis Capaldi Start
It was a very Lewis Capaldi way to start a gig. Funny, slightly dark and delivered completely deadpan, and that was pretty much the theme for the night. Lewis spent as much time making the crowd laugh as he did making them miserable, which, given the songs he has built his career on, was probably the only way to get through an hour and a half of heartbreak.
“I’ve just played the happiest three songs of my career,” he told the crowd. “And now we’re going into depression. It’s Saturday night in Liverpool, come on.” You couldn't really argue with him.
Liverpool Claims Him as Its Own
There was something particularly special about seeing Lewis back in Liverpool. Scousers have long shared strong cultural, historical and linguistic ties with Scotland, shaped in part by generations of migration through Liverpool’s major port, much like the city’s deep connections with Ireland. Those connections have helped shape Liverpool’s identity, from its humour and language to the unmistakable Scouse accent.
So when the 29-year-old Scot walked onto the stage, there was a genuine sense that Liverpool had taken a liking to one of its own. The crowd were brilliant from the start. Thousands of voices joined Lewis almost instantly, often making it difficult to hear him over the singing. And Lewis seemed to enjoy every second of it.
Jokes and a Triumphant Return
Although, naturally, he couldn't resist taking the p***. At one point, his attention turned towards the waltzer ride nearby. “Who pays that much money to go to a gig and queue for the waltzer?” he asked. “There’s lots of c***s in that queue. Am I really that bad? It’s early doors?” He then came to his conclusion. “Anyone on that ride is dead to me.” A brief pause. "Joking. They’re just thrill seekers." It was exactly what you wanted from him between songs. And that's what made the night work so well.
There was no attempt to hide behind the polished side of pop stardom. Lewis was happy to take the p*** out of himself, the crowd and, occasionally, the entire concept of paying money to stand in a field listening to music some could find depressing.
Lewis’s return to the stage has been a long time coming. After stepping away for two years amid his struggles with Tourette’s syndrome and anxiety, he made a surprise appearance at Glastonbury before releasing his comeback single, Survive. Since then, his return has gradually gathered momentum through festival appearances and live dates. Liverpool felt like another important step. And judging by the reaction, the city was more than happy to have him back.
For me, the night also completed a rather pleasing personal hat-trick. Having already seen Olivia Dean at The Dome at Grand Central Hall and Sam Fender in the same park as Lewis, I had now managed to see what I consider the current pop music holy trinity. The obvious next step is for the three of them to release a song together, something fans, myself included, have been asking for for some time. If Saturday night was anything to go by, Liverpool would probably sing every word.
