In the Lonely Hour Tour feat. Sam Smith and Gavin James

Yes, Louis Tomlinson is going to be a dad and that Cara Delevingne interview actually did happen but how is any of that possibly important when I saw Sam Smith last night? Fact: it's not. I went to the In the Lonely Hour Tour and it was definitely an experience for the books. This guy can sing...but I'm sure you knew that, right? Believe me, if you were considering dropping the money on tickets to this show, it's well spent. Here's what went down...

First off I was pretty much just expecting to listen to some laid back, soulful sounds while people around me cry over past relationships. This was half true. Yes it was laid back, yes it was soulful but man was it actually one of the most rocking shows I've been to. I know that sounds weird because, hey, it's Sam Smith. Trust me. This guy knows how to party.

Starting with an incredible opening act whom I'd never even heard of, Gavin James made me want to melt into a puddle right there in my seat. His indie/alt sound was something fresh and his voice was just enough to drive you wild, reminding me a bit of Rixton frontman, Jake Roche. I'll definitely be looking into Gavin for my next music obsession.

Now for the main act...SAM.SMITH. This guy sort of came out of nowhere (at least on my radar). Sometimes I forget his Disclosure collab because "Stay With Me" put the spotlight directly on the man himself and still makes me have all the feels a year after its release. All of the classics were included in this tour including "Lay Me Down,"I'm Not the Only One," and my personal fave "Money on My Mind." There was a little bit of sultry, a little bit of sexy, and a whole lot of actual exciting fun to be had for everyone. Smith's band along with backup singers who are stars in their own rights, contributing exclusively to a mashup of Marvin Gaye's "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and Amy Winehouse's "Tears Dry on Their Own," blew me away from beginning to end. They actually had a sold out stadium doing choreography. Needless to say, it was amazing.

What I really couldn't get over though was how genuinely happy this man is. The only pictures I took the entire time were actually of his reaction to the applause and praise from the crowd immediately after each number. Nowadays it's hard to pinpoint the stars who actually realize what's important - THE FANS! These are the people who got you where you are today. Without them, you would just be another starving artist looking for any opportunity to make a buck. That's what I like about Sam Smith. You can tell just by looking at him that he is the most appreciative person you'd ever be lucky enough to meet. He's doing what he loves and he knows this doesn't just happen to anyone. It's always nice to see this in someone who actually deserves it. His talent speaks for itself.

I've never seen someone so passionate about life's journey, overcoming obstacles, and learning from mistakes. The ability to turn something negative into such a positive message for people of all ages to relate to is truly an amazing feat and I applaud Sam Smith for being able to do this with such maturity  and eloquence. It's hard to believe he's only twenty-three. Bravo, Sam.

The In the Lonely Hour Tour is still going strong. Click here to check out the rest of the tour dates. I recommend this concert highly. Merch is a bit pricey but a great experience overall. Stay tuned for more concert reviews and music news. Check out a few videos below:

Sam Smith's newest Disclosure collab - "Omen"

Sam Smith - "Like I Can"

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IN THE LONELY HOUR TOUR REVIEW ~ AS TOLD BY MADS
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CONCERT REVIEW: Never Shout Never w/ Nick Santino and Front Porch Step

     This past week I attended a Never Shout Never show in St. Louis at The Firebird. Let me just start off by saying NSN is incredible!…..I mean of course if you're into that whole "let's chill under the sun and talk about the little things" meditation. I was looking forward to this show in particular because I knew NSN was very easy going and that can be said for their music as well. There's sometimes nothing better than having that one artist who can just help you calm the hell down. *Perfect for students working through busy homework schedules especially might I add.* 

     The band had two opening acts: Front Porch Step and Nick Santino. Front Porch Step while not hiding his amazement at the opportunity to be able to perform in front of an actual crowd, was in all honesty quite surprising. He was personable in that he wanted his audience to understand the true meaning behind the songs he was singing. The songs themselves were full of emotion and well-written. He may have mentioned his mother just a bit too much (c'mon, man, you're not supposed to want your mom to be your only fan) but I enjoyed his energy and wouldn't mind seeing him open another show. 

     Nick Santino, a member of the former rock band A Rocket to the Moon, was definitely the better of the opening acts. Apart from his seemingly down-south charm and quirky yet attractive sense of style, his songs certainly found their way into the hearts of many of the audience members. He is extremely relatable and isn't afraid to crack a joke at his own expense. I can honestly say that his unique blend of country and rock complemented by a smooth, raspy tone is enough to make anyone weak at the knees. Beautiful!

      Moving on to the main event, Never Shout Never did not disappoint with their Holiday Tour. There's nothing better than a bit of head bobbing and basic guitar picking to go along with the giant blow-up snowman prop in the background. The props related to previous projects by the band that true fans would surely understand which would make the experience even better. I must say that having a band that is comfortable enough to drink onstage and be a bit on the "off" side if you know what I mean ;) makes for one interesting night. Never Shout Never, particularly front man, Christofer Drew, has always had that special place in our hearts. Everyone has been a NSN fan at one point in their lives. For most of us near twenty-somethings, our NSN stage hit us hard at about age 16 with Chris' innocent, punkish charm (and oh man that ukelele!) and most of us fell off the bandwagon soon after that. Little did we know the NSN crew had so much more in store. 

      For those of us who stuck around, the sound of NSN has changed over the years but never disappointed. The Holiday Tour featured songs from nearly every album and a few festive tunes to get us in the Christmas spirit. The guys' charm and hilarious comments throughout the show meant that there was never a dull moment. Some of the songs were tweaked and remastered for the tour making everything a little more personal and fun. Not to mention that The Firebird was the PERFECT venue for this type of show. It was small enough so that everyone could feel some sort of closeness in proximity to the stage (some were even sitting on the edge of it). I highly recommend this venue for any show because it is the perfect way to feel personally connected to your favorite artists. 

     If you have ever thought about going to see Never Shout Never, all I can say is….DO IT! Whether it be on one of their smaller tours or maybe even Warped Tour 2014(hopefully!), NSN will not disappoint and will certainly put you in a great mood. 

NEVER SHOUT NEVER HOLIDAY TOUR~AS TOLD BY MADS

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Xmas EP

The NSN track I'm LOVING at the moment:

And something to get you in the Christmas mood: