Entertainment

Review: Rudimental @ O2 Apollo, Manchester

Ahead of their hugely anticipated third album Toast to our Differences, Rudimental took to the stage at Manchester’s O2 Apollo to liven up people’s Tuesdays.

Opening the show was South-Londoner Olivia Deano. Although her voice was impressive, her musical style didn’t seem to interest the audience as her voice was lost beneath drunken chatter.

It was a shame really since you could definitely see her potential.

Next up was Nigerian-born R&B singer Ray BLK, who actually seemed to connect well with those in attendance, receiving plenty of applause and cheers.

Her stage presence was massive and she seemed a natural. I’m sure we will see more of her in the future.

Collaborating with some of the biggest names in music, Rudimental are behind a massive array of hits, which they proudly showcased when it was their turn to perform to the packed O2 Apollo.

It wasn’t just the venue that was overflowing, the stage was too as more than a football team’s worth of musicians took to the podium at any one time.

It was almost as if those on stage needed name tags since there were so many of them.

Among Them was former X Factor star Ella Henderson, who provided perfect vocals for many of Rudimental’s hits, including Feel the Love and These Days, the groups newest track which closed the show.

CHART-TOPPERS: The gig came as the group prepare to release their third album

All of the artists on stage were partying just as much as the concert-goers, jumping and dancing to every song.

The energetic, enthusiastic performance – which was initiated by DJ Locksmith – engaged the audience immediately. Even those in the balcony were on their feet!

The set list was crammed with big tracks, including Waiting All Night and Bloodstream, both of which topped charts worldwide.

Even whilst promoting upcoming single Toast to our Differences, the audience remained hyped, which is unusual for relatively unknown songs.

The gang also covered Rag’n’Bone Man’s Human, turning it into a dance song, which DJ Locksmith labelled “the rave song of the night”.

He wasn’t wrong. The rendition proved hugely successful, leaving the crowd buzzing.

The entire group sure know how to put on a show, and it was nice to witness so many artists coming together to contribute to the performance.

From the brass players to the vocalists, all individuals on stage were having a ball, and it was great to see a hugely successful group giving smaller up-and-coming musicians the chance to perform huge tracks like these and gain a massive audience response.

Rudimental’s third album has been a long time coming, with their last record release being in 2015. If this show is anything to go by, it’ll be another chart-topper.

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