Once he took the stage, he admitted that he never thought that he would be playing at this iconic venue. He belted out songs from his debut studio album, In The Lonely Hour. There was a great deal of vulnerability and soul in his music.
Dressed in his black suit, Smith began his show with “Life Support” and it was followed by “Together” and “Leave Your Lover.” Equally remarkable was his latest radio single, the heartbreaking “I’m Not the Only One.” “My Funny Valentine” was an exceptional cover tune in his set.
His encore included “Latch,” with a special guest appearance from electronic music duo Disclosure, as well as the piano-driven ballad “Make It to Me,” the latter of which is featured as a bonus cut on his debut CD. “Money On My Mind” was catchy, up-tempo and a great deal of fun, as opposed to the previous melancholic vocals.
“For the last song, let me see your hands together. As loud as you can,” Smith said, and he broke into the fan-favorite vocal of the evening, his breakthrough hit “Stay With Me.” Smith displayed his impressive falsetto and the entire arena was singing the lyrics verbatim to him.
The Verdict
Sam Smith’s Madison Square Garden concert is a substantial indication that all six of his Grammy nominations this year were indeed based on sheer talent and merit. In fact, he deserves to take many of them home, especially the awards for “Best New Artist,” “Best Pop Solo Performance” and “Album of the Year.” His show garnered 5 out of 5 stars.
