Shawn Mendes at the O2 Arena
Shawn Mendes is singing songs again, and the world is brighter for it. It’s been six years since he brought a show to London, but you wouldn’t be able to tell – the O2 Arena welcomes him with its arms wide open, and he is as loved as ever. Mendes had to cancel two world tours in a row, so the build-up to the On the Road Again Tour has been immense, with supporters overjoyed that they can see their old friend once more. And here tonight, it seems that no one ever really left.
The opening guitar plucks of There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back echo around the room, and the floor begins to shake. Mendes runs onstage with a guitar in his hand and a smile that moves his whole face, jumping straight into the rhythm and lighting a fire that will last the whole night. Wonder follows – a cathartic pop anthem that comes alive in front of a crowd, as well as giving him a chance to show off his vocal ability; that the man can sing is a fact that cannot be argued, and his belt is impressively healthy. We’re only two songs in, but both Mendes and his fans are having the time of their lives together. “My knees are literally shaking,” he laughs, thanking people for sticking around and singing so loudly.
The setlist is hit after hit and, while some may lament the loss of hearing his deeper album tracks (cough: Where Were You In The Morning?), it makes for an electrifying time. Treat You Better, Monster and Lost In Japan all in a row have one out of breath and giddy. Mendes takes it all in his stride, shining with the delight of being back onstage, twirling and stomping and owning that room. If I Can’t Have You is arguably one of his best songs live, a pumping track that has everyone jumping three feet in the air: Mendes has his fans flying.
Around the middle of the gig, he slows it down for us. Isn’t That Enough and Heart of Gold are performed with his band next to him, as though they’re just jamming in the studio. This “circle time” format, as he calls it, radiates comfort and closeness. Mendes has spoken openly about the anxiety that comes with performing, and to see him surrounded by such love is wonderful.
In My Blood closes, and, quite frankly, this should never change. A bridge like that, vulnerable and aching and thunderous, with pulsing drums and pounding guitar, is the only way to finish. Shawn Mendes took a break and has only come back better; as the confetti rains and he runs into the shaking arms of the crowd, it’s clear that this is where he belongs.
Talitha Stowell
Photos: Thomas Falcone
For further information and future events, visit Shawn Mendes’s website here.
Watch the video for Heart of Gold here:
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