Lewis Capaldi live review: Lewis Capaldi puts carers centre stage for a night that showed why accessibility matters
- photogroupie
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Just a few weeks after performing to tens of thousands in Hyde Park, Lewis Capaldi found himself in very different surroundings. Swapping one of the country's biggest festival crowds for the much more intimate O2 Forum Kentish Town, this one-off show, organised with Carers Trust and ABLE2UK, wasn't simply another date on the calendar. It was a chance to thank primary carers while demonstrating what can happen when accessibility is considered from the very beginning rather than added as an afterthought.
Following a heartfelt opening set from Dermot Henry, the focus turned to Capaldi. Dispensing with any grand entrance, he let the music do the talking, opening with Hollywood before moving through newer tracks including Grace, Heavenly Kind of State of Mind and Wish You the Best. His voice was in excellent form throughout, proving once again why he has become one of Britain's biggest live draws.
The setlist struck a fine balance between newer material and the songs that first established Capaldi as a household name. Bruises, Pointless, Before You Go, Hold Me While You Wait and Forget Me all prompted huge singalongs, while Survive proved one of the evening's emotional highlights before the inevitable closer, Someone You Loved, brought the house down.
One noticeable omission, however, was Stay Love. Considering the promotional film for the event centred so heavily on primary carers and the relationships at the heart of caring, it felt like a song that belonged in this set. Its absence was surprising and perhaps the only real missed opportunity of the night.
What made the evening memorable wasn't simply the performance but the effort to make it genuinely inclusive. The show was accompanied throughout by British Sign Language interpretation, allowing Deaf audience members to experience every lyric alongside everyone else. It's something that remains far too uncommon at live shows and demonstrates exactly why visibility matters. Accessibility shouldn't be reserved for special events, it should become the expectation.
The organisers deserve enormous credit for the thought that had gone into making the event as accessible as possible, but there were still a few teething issues. At times, crowd movement became difficult, with people frequently bumping into one another, particularly on the ground floor. There was also insufficient ground-floor seating, while step-free access within parts of the venue could have been improved. None of these issues detracted significantly from what was an incredibly positive evening, but they did highlight that accessibility is an ongoing process and there is always room to improve.
Ultimately, this wasn't just another Lewis Capaldi concert. It was a celebration of a group of people who are too often overlooked. By putting accessibility at the forefront from the BSL interpretation to the wider efforts made throughout the venue the event showed what's possible when inclusion becomes part of the planning rather than an afterthought. Hopefully it won't remain a one-off but will encourage more artists, promoters and venues to follow suit.
Review Cathy Clark
Photos by Gerry Driver