“It’s good to be back in f**king Wales” and it is more than good to have you back, Lewis Capaldi. Scottish superstar singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi took to the stage at the Cardiff International Arena and blew fans away with his incredible performances - including a swift rendition of Tom Jones' song, Delilah, recently banned by the WRU from their forthcoming matches at the Principality Stadium.
The Someone You Loved singer, who earlier in the day had welcomed cute pooches from Cardiff Dog's Home, told the crowd at the Cardiff International Arena “It’s good to be f**king back in Wales!" before joking he should sing the Welsh national anthem and instead launched into Tom Jones tracks, including the famous 'My my my, Delilah' line from the now controversial hit. You can find out more about the reasons it's been banned by the Welsh Rugby Union, here.
READ MORE: O2 Priority down as fans scramble to get Beyoncé pre-sale tickets in Cardiff
But, onto the rest of the gig, the CIA was packed, it was a sell-out UK tour for Lewis, and fans were in for a big show. Swearing, Welsh bucket hat donning, tears, a proposal and an incredible vocal range awaited Lewis’s fans when support act Raye kicked off the show.
Her performance was strong, as a newly independent artist who has left her major record label, as she performed some top hits including You Don't Know Me and BED. She also wowed fans with music from her new album My 21st Century Blues which is being released on Friday, February 3.
Raye’s vocal range was incredible and it felt quite like watching 2023 Amy Winehouse. Touching on topics like sexual abuse and climate change in her new album songs Ice Cream Man and Environmental Anxiety, her gift for songwriting was clear. She even managed to aim a song at a former rapper boyfriend of hers, as she sang about heartbreak.
Then came Lewis. First, a nod to Welsh culture as his cube above the stage flashed up Caerdydd and the band took their floating platforms at the back of the stage. Climbing up steps from under the stage Lewis kicked off the show with Forget Me.
At first, Lewis seemed a bit nervous and unsettled, admitting to the crowd he had been feeling anxious during the day. The singer also became emotional during Forget Me as he visibly wiped away his tears.
However by his third song Lost on You, Lewis had completely eased into his gig, helped by the very supportive Cardiff crowd, and put on an incredible performance. He chatted to the crowd about everything, sex, getting a save a date for a wedding, flashing the crowd by lifting up his top and reading signs in the crowd.
When talking about he wouldn't want to have sex every day, saying that it sounds exhausting, he said: "This is the weirdest way I've opened a gig so far". Lewis also recalled the last time he was in Wales when he performed at Cardiff Castle in August 2022, and how merely 15 seconds into his performance a fight broke out in the crowd. It was this memory that prompted Lewis to declare “It’s good to be f**king back in Wales!”
At one point Lewis was thrown and then donned a Welsh football bucket hat, of course, and joked that he needed to sing the Welsh national anthem before bursting into Delilah and Not Unusual by Tom Jones. Then came a cute surprise of the night.
Lewis invited a Scottish lady name Stephanie Gray onto the stage, joking that Wales and Scotland “are like brothers” when there were some boos for Scotland, and her partner Sam proposed to her right on stage! Stephanie said yes.
Bringing out some of his best songs like Hold Me While You Wait and Grace Lewis ended the show on a real high telling fans “I really felt pretty s**t today, I was feeling low earlier but now I’m feeling hiiiggghhhh” and thanked them for coming, telling them how much it meant to him.
Coming back for his encore Lewis sang Someone You Loved, which the crowd screamed back at-a common theme throughout the night, allowing Lewis to pause and enjoy hearing his songs sung back to him and this was one of my favourite parts of the show. The stage visuals were also amazing during the show, with the cube above Lewis’s head showing different scenes and two big screens at either side of the stage showing him.
There was smoke, there was confetti, there was moody red lighting and stark black and white lighting and calming blue. You could really hear and see the emotion that Lewis puts into his songs as he connects with the audience and puts on a very impressive and very worthwhile show.
READ NEXT:
Beyoncé fans must follow these rules to get pre-sale tickets for Renaissance 2023 tour
Lewis Capaldi gets adorable visit from Welsh rescue dogs before big Cardiff show
Beyoncé in Cardiff: Ticket prices for Renaissance tour at the Principality Stadium
Brit Awards nominated Bad Boy Chiller Crew to perform at Swansea Arena
Review: The 1975 gig lived up to the weird hype as Matt Healy eats raw meat on stage in Cardiff
