By Chloe McLelland
After two years away from live shows, Lewis Capaldi’s return to Glasgow felt less like another stop on tour and more like a heartfelt homecoming. With the OVO Hydro full to the brim of fans, this gig felt like a milestone moment for the Scottish star.
Capaldi’s time away, marked by personal challenges, including his diagnosis with Tourette’s syndrome, was woven into the evening’s narrative, and his return was healing, both for him and for those in the crowd who had missed his presence.
By early evening, the Hydro buzzed with energy – friends laughing in the queue, excited chatter about which songs might make the setlist, and a sea of fans kitted out in merch from previous tours. Everyone was excited for the night ahead.
Dublin singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe opened the show. His stripped-back style, paired with warm vocals, brought an intimate feel to the massive venue. His songs were simple but sincere, and many in the crowd took a real liking to his quiet authenticity.
Next on the bill was London R&B singer Skye Newman, who commanded the audience with her soulful voice and confident stage presence. Drawing comparisons to artists like Amy Winehouse, she brought a vintage edge with a modern twist. Her gritty tone and upbeat delivery helped lift the energy in the room, preparing the audience for the main event perfectly, without stealing too much of the spotlight.
Together, the openers offered a nice contrast: Aaron’s emotional subtlety and Skye’s punchy soul-pop set a solid foundation for what was to come.
After both support acts, there was only one more act left to take the stage, and when he did, the arena erupted.
Lewis Capaldi humbly walked onto the stage. Phone torches lit up instantly, and the volume of the crowd’s cheers was deafening. It felt like everyone in that room had been holding their breath for this very moment.
He kicked off his set with the recently released Survive, a song that hit especially hard given the context of his return. The lyrics carried extra weight, and his delivery was full of vulnerability. Within moments, many fans were visibly emotional, watching Capaldi in sheer awe.
True to form, Lewis broke up the emotional heaviness with his usual humour. Joking with the crowd, calling out fans in the front row, and even making fun of himself, his down-to-earth personality made the massive arena feel like a much smaller, more personal space.
He followed up his powerful opening with crowd favourites like Grace and Heavenly Kind of State of Mind, keeping the tempo high and the crowd singing.
“Glasgow, it’s good to be home”, Capaldi greeted the crowd with a smile, and the cheers that followed made it clear the feeling was mutual.
One of the night’s surprises came when Lewis announced he’d be performing three unreleased tracks. “If you don’t like them, I won’t release them,” he joked, but judging by the crowd’s reaction, he has nothing to worry about.
The first, titled Always, was met with complete silence, as the crowd listened intently. Then came familiar favourites like Pointless, Bruises, and Forget Me, before he introduced a new track he described as the “saddest song [he’s] ever written” – a haunting ballad called The Day I Die, inspired by one of the lowest points in his life.
As he sang the emotional lyrics, you could feel a shift in the room. There were no distractions, no chatter; just pure focus. It was one of those rare concert moments that felt sacred.
As the evening continued, the emotional rollercoaster continued, too. Songs like Before You Go and How I’m Feeling Now brought both intensity and vulnerability, and Lewis’s voice was rich, warm, and emotional.
He closed the show with the song that made him a household name, Someone You Loved. It was one of those unforgettable singalong moments, where thousands of voices joined as one. Lewis didn’t even need to sing the final chorus as the crowd did it for him, and you could see how much it meant that his hometown welcomed him back with open arms.
As the lights came back up and people began to file out, there was a shared feeling in the air, somewhere between joy and release. This show wasn’t just a concert. It felt more like a reunion – a reminder of what music can do, and how many people had missed not just the songs, but the person behind them.
Text Copyright 2025 © Chloe McLelland/ADRENALINE Magazine.
Photography Copyright 2025 © Kelsey Sarah McAndrew/ADRENALINE Magazine.
Emma Turner 
Alexandra Pullen