Live Review - Birdy

Birdy @ O2 Institute, Birmingham 23/10/16

Amongst all the winners and losers of X-Factor, The Voice and Britain’s Got Talent, it feels as though the mainstream media and the general public have succumb to the belief that there are no artists within the UK music scene, but perhaps this is because for every generation, there can be only one Birdy. 

Opening for a Pop act can be a very thankless task, for arena shows they can be limited to just three or four songs, and that’s performing to the people that choose to turn up early; luckily Dan Owen was given plenty of time to win the crowd over, the sold out crowd already filling the 02 Institute - and win them over he did, gaining the biggest applause you might have ever heard for a support act. If you do the whole “singer-songwriter with a guitar” thing right, it can work so well. Dan Owen is clearly a fantastic songwriter, and he has a strong, powerful and beautiful voice to back that up. His version of ‘Little Red Rooster’ had the most infectious wonderful energy to finish off an amazing set, and get people warmed up for the headliner. How can one man make so much noise?!

Birdy broke onto the UK music scene in 2011, when her cover of Bon Ivers ‘Skinny Love’ was picked up by Fearne Cotton as record of the week and since then she has consistently put out music which is both critically and commercially accepted. It can often come across, or be assumed that most Pop music is devoid of substance and emotion, or that it has become a success because of some visual or popularity based appeal. But you cannot accuse Birdy of these things. Walking onto stage and taking a seat at a black gloss piano, centre stage. She carries herself like someone who has spent the last 40 years honing her craft. She has a quiet confidence that radiates throughout her performance, she’s magical and whimsical and a serious treat for the eyes and the ears. The show, and it truly was a magnificent show, not just a music performance, built to an overwhelming and emotive finale, with the crowd standing jaws agape and hands to chest. A magical evening was doubtlessly had by all in attendance. 

Birdy is a true artist, like a sweet and subtle Lady Gaga, delivering a low-key performance but making sure the crowd know that if she wanted to she could blast you by unleashing her powerful pipes. 

The most annoying thing about Birdy, is that at 20 years old she’s only just begun. Amongst Eva Cassidy and Kate Bush; Birdy is set to become a legend. What are we doing with our lives?!