Tom Odell Concert Review: A Moving Firework of Emotion

“Ladies and gentlemen, I want to hear you sing tonight,” Tom Odell shouted during his concert before launching into an acoustic version of his dynamic song “Hold Me.”

The British singer and songwriter performed at Big Night Live in Boston on Oct. 9 as part of his North American tour. Tom Odell first caught the public’s attention with his debut EP, “Songs from Another Love,” in 2012. Shortly after, his debut album “Long Way Down” topped the U.K. album charts for weeks. Odell, best known for his single “Another Love,” has since released five additional albums. Odell is promoting his newly released album, “Black Friday,” while touring the United States and Canada.

At 9 p.m. sharp, Odell slowly entered the dimly lit stage, sitting down at a piano. With a singular spotlight on him, he performed an enthralling piano ballad before transitioning into his opening number, “Giving A Fuck,” from his recent album, “Best Day of My Life.” Odell had his eyes closed, carefully singing into the microphone as he delivered each line with the kind of heart-wrenching and emotional rawness that made the audience believe every word he sang.

The 250-person audience was the perfect fit for Odell, an artist who shines in his subtle and intimate delivery. Audience members swayed to the music, closing their eyes, bathing in the melancholic melodies, and giving in to the captivating atmosphere. The British performer mastered the art of connecting: “I have a request,” Odell said. “If you are here with somebody you love tonight, I want you to turn to them and tell them you love them and give them a hug” — as he gave two audience members a hug himself, moving them to tears.

His setlist was dominated by slow indie pop ballads, such as “Smiling All The Way Back Home,” “numb,” and his new single “Black Friday,” all featuring impressively introspective and emotive songwriting. By Ro Dudevoir

His setlist was dominated by slow indie pop ballads, such as “Smiling All The Way Back Home,” “numb,” and his new single “Black Friday,” all featuring impressively introspective and emotive songwriting. It's safe to say Odell has a niche. Each song had a similar structure and musical buildup. Predominantly, the songs started out slow, with a simple piano accompaniment by Odell himself. This was then followed by something one could describe as a sudden emotional outburst, during which Odell’s husky vocals were backed by his band with the dominating sound of an e-guitar, an e-bass, and drums.

The lighting design mirrored the structure of the songs, switching between the simplistic setup of a singular spotlight and red and blue flashing lights to reinforce the emotional build-up in the songs. Occasionally, it appeared almost comical, such as when Odell climbed on top of the piano, only to dramatically jump to the ground, accompanied by a dramatic light show. However, overall the lighting design helped to accentuate the inner emotional turmoil Odell so perfectly lays out in his songwriting.

Odell closed the 90-minute performance with a rendition of his most popular song, “Another Love.” While it is common for performers to close the concert with their best-known single, it almost seemed like Odell tried to distance himself from his 2013 success, wanting to put greater emphasis on his current artistic project. Who can blame him? It is evident that he has since grown as both a musician and an artist. For fans less familiar with Odell’s music, his performance in Boston might have come as a surprise. After all, “Another Love” can often be heard playing at a club or nightclub, yet the solemn atmosphere had little in common with a night out.

The concert seemed like the perfect event to attend with a significant other or even your parents, a fact reinforced by the age and gender balance of the audience members. Even though some of the songs could have certainly lent themselves to dancing, the intimate and solemn atmosphere translated to the audience, which preferred to stand in front of the stage in a trance-like state and take in the music, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

Odell’s concert was certainly not an upbeat and energetic dance extravaganza, and instead it struck a much deeper, more emotional chord. A true masterclass in storytelling, the British singer-songwriter took the audience on an emotional and intimate journey through loss, pain, and heartache, nonetheless magically leaving them “smiling all the way back home.”

—Staff writer Amelie Julicher can be reached at amelie.julicher@thecrimson.com.