S Poddar
While playing at Co-op Live in Manchester, Sam Fender’s performance felt as though it was a personal conversation with each one of the 23,000 people in attendance. With the show’s scope so massive, Fender never let himself become humbled out of an approachable presence. As the crowd let out in unison, singing along to his anthemic “whoah-oh-ohs,” he bantered back with a flip comment: “Got some singers here, haven’t we?” His self-deprecation and effortless charm made the cavernous venue feel like an intimate gathering at a local pub.
Fender has gone from playing tiny, intimate venues to packing stadiums. The 30-year-old from North Shields has, in five years, come from being a budding talent to a festival mainstay and a stadium performer. Last night’s first of two nights at Co-op Live felt almost like a cozy preview of the bigger world he now occupies. His early career as a barman in Newcastle has no doubt left its mark on his connection with his audience, and his music very often shows the personal strife and victory of his working-class roots.
One of the main reasons for his success is how he is able to take something deeply personal and turn it into a universally relatable anthem. Tracks such as “Seventeen Going Under” speak to really hard-hitting issues – the struggles of the benefits system, say – in raw, unflinching honesty. As the lyrics go, “I see my mother/the DWP see a number,” he sings in that haunting line expressing frustration with the coldness of the system. His songs are not only about his own life but resonate in so much more people as Fender puts his heart and soul into every performance so his audience could draw their own meaning from his songs.
Dead Boys” opens the night with an address to male suicide. Such a heavy subject somehow finds itself as an arena opener, and it shows Fender’s skill for making somber themes live in such a way that their weight resonates with the audience. With this in mind, it was now time for everyone to soak up that weight as a crowd and begin the evening ahead. Fender’s voice is full of passion and vulnerability; he previewed his next album, People Watching, which will come to the public in the next year. The title track off the album is a powerful anthem of Fender’s signature sound.
With lines like “somebody’s darling’s on the street tonight,” it paints this stark, vivid image of broken society observed through the eye of a late-night trip home. The track captures the same gritty realism that has always defined Fender’s music, taking a sweeping, almost cinematic look at the struggles of modern life. The same goes for “Nostalgia’s Lie”, which refuses to romanticize the past. The singer sounds, philosophically reflective, “these streets break my heart” while dismissing the comforting illusions of nostalgia. While these tracks displayed Fender’s hallmark anthemic style, the set also had its quieter moments.
Songs like “Wild Long Lie” and “Arm’s Length” were much more introverted, but with the kind of soundscapes that would evoke the likes of The War on Drugs or fellow Geordie, Mark Knopfler. New addition to the band, Brooke Bentham, whom Fender has known since their busking days as teenagers, adds a new dimension to the live show. Bentham’s vocals and guitar work brought a feminine feel to the group, balancing out Fender’s passionate, gritty delivery. With night growing on, the setlist reached back to Fender’s deep catalogue of work, including hits such as “Howdon Aldi Death Queue,” with its punk-attack punch and the contemplative “Spit of You.” One more that stands out is the incisive, pointed political commentary of “Hypersonic Missiles,” capturing what may very well be the greatest characteristic in Fender’s work, the ability to mesh the personal with the sociopolitical in a manner so relevant to his fans.
Throughout the performance, Fender’s minimal stage banter only seemed to add to his appeal.
His emotional voice proved to blend so perfectly with the reserved undercurrent of his presence and create a magnetic atmosphere where the fans were engaged. The powerful sing-alongs that punctuated the night were a testament to the connection between the artist and his fans. The whole crowd seemed united by the catharsis of music, none more than at the chorus of “Seventeen Going Under” – an anthem for day-to-day struggles. It’s that song that captures both heartbreak and resilience of ordinary life – and it was clear that the performance meant as much to the audience as it did to Fender. There was more to Sam Fender’s shows than just being concerts-they were an emotional experience.
He delivers the songs so passionately and truthfully that his fan base grows exponentially as does the loyalty. Co-op Live was the best demonstration of why he has become one of the biggest influencers in today’s music world. Whether personal or societal, Fender speaks about his issues rawly and on a level that hits the bone. The fans feel his music, which he feeds off, in their bones, and he, through them, creates a great and very symbiotic connection. The performances are approaching, and for sure, he is not nearly done with his journey – there is the O2 performance in London.
His upcoming album promises more of the poignant storytelling and cathartic soundscapes that have become his trademark. With each performance, he proves that, no matter the size of the venue, the music always comes first, and it’s this honesty and passion that will continue to carry him to even greater heights.
