If I’m being really honest – I was not very familiar with YUNGBLUD (pronounced “Youngblood” and stylized in caps) before being asked to review the show originally scheduled for October 2022. As the evening approached and the tour was postponed due to ongoing preparations for his arena tour, I started sporadically adding his music to my playlists.
Last night I raced to Chalk blasting his 2022 album ‘YUNGBLUD’ and his most streamed tunes, with some pre-show research in the back of my mind in preparation of his matinée and evening acoustic sets to come. What I knew about YUNGBLUD mostly centred on his dedicated and loving fanbase that call themselves the ‘Black Hearts Club (BHC)’ and the brilliant work of his photographer Tom Pallant whom I regularly fangirl over on Instagram. I expected the gig to be enjoyable, energetic and impressive, but I definitely did not foresee that I would leave the show feeling part of something much bigger than myself.
The two outstore Resident shows (5pm to 7pm and 8pm to 10pm) were completely sold out, characterised fans queuing for the evening show before the doors for the first show even opened. I arrived just before the first set started at the full capacity venue and settled in at the back of the room. I did not know what to expect from a stripped back YUNGBLUD set, but when he got onto the stage, I knew it was going to be powerful.
The first show kicked off with ‘The Funeral’, the first track on his 2022 album ‘YUNGBLUD’. Acoustic sets are always tricky as it’s difficult to gauge how engaged the crowd will be, but this was not an issue for YUNGBLUD. The stage was lit with real sets of candles on beautiful stands, adding to the intimate experience of it all. From the moment he arrived on stage his fans were fully focused and immersed themselves in his lyrics, singing every (and I mean really EVERY) word.
For ‘Parents’, from the 2020 release, ‘Weird!’, YUNGBLUD climbed on the bar and performed the song amidst his fans. The set then moved into ‘Fleabag’, where during the acoustic solo, the entire room went quiet, a staggering contrast to them belting every word. It was at that moment I realised this crowd is something different, before seamlessly going back into belting the final chorus. YUNGBLUD noted that they were playing the same guitars they had when they were 17, “before any of this” – referring to his family of fans. The show date also marked the fifth anniversary of his album ‘21st Century Liability’.
The flow of YUNGBLUD’s vocals is impeccable, noted especially during the verses of ‘Doctor Doctor’, with a fast-paced lyrical approach accompanied by intermittent strumming, before weaving back into its catchy pre-chorus line “Cause I, I just want to be stupid” (the song talks of lobotomy in the face of what goes wrong in the world). During ‘Strawberry Lipstick’, the crowd jumps and YB and his stripped back band effortlessly strike a balance between letting the crowd sing parts of the chorus lines and seamlessly blend back into their performance. The song breaks and YUNGBLUD takes a fan’s JD shot while the crowd eggs him on to the background of the rhythm guitarist’s strumming.
At some point during the show, he says they are about to announce a new tour and are excited to finish new music. He teases the crowd by starting to play a new song, then stops. He lets his fans know that he will be hanging around after the show for a drink with anyone that would like to join. The show finishes with ‘Loner’, where he opens a pit during the pre-chorus. I did not expect a pit to work in an acoustic set, but somehow it does!
During the break between the matinée and evening show, YUNGBLUD went to East Street Tap to talk to fans and stayed there until after doors for the second show at 8pm. His dedication, love and care for the Black Hearts Club is truly inspiring and goes to show that you can be an internationally renowned artist with almost four million Instagram followers, and still fully devoted to your fanbase on a personal basis.
The second set kicked off with ‘Tissues’, but when YUNGBLUD climbed on the bar for ‘Parents’, the set was disrupted by some trouble in the crowd right in front of him. He instantly stopped the set to intervene , saying “there is no place for aggression here, this is a safe space and a space of love”. He restarts the song when they calm down, but two bars in he stops again as the aggression continues YUNGBLUD reiterates there is no place for this behaviour at his show, and for it to stop now He ensures they are safe before even attempting a third initiation of the song. The rest of the crowd are vocal in agreement and applaud when he talks about the values of his shows – a safe space grounded in love and support for each other. The atmosphere and behaviour of any other fan in the crowd during both shows was one of care – even during the pits everyone ensured the safety of those around them.
He next plays ‘Fleabag’, before giving the crowd a choice between ‘Medication’ and ‘Doctor Doctor’. The crowd votes, but when it seemed more likely he’d play one over the other, he announces he’ll play both, starting with ‘Doctor Doctor’. The fans go wild when he announces to play ‘Cotton Candy’ as one of the last songs for the evening. This is followed by ‘Strawberry Lipstick’ (from the album ‘Weird!’), where YUNGBLUD arranges a pit, but does it twice, noting the matinée pit was livelier. The fans take this to heart and the second pit is wilder. We’ve then arrived at the end of the set with ‘Loner’, and YUNGBLUD thanks his fans for the evening and their continued support. Upon leaving the venue, everyone gets a customised postcard from the lovely team from Resident.
I stayed around after the show, chatting to YUNGBLUD’s bassist and to fans who attended the show. Fans come up to the bassist for photos and to tell her they admire her. It is really telling of the crowd, the Black Hearts Club, how they approach members of the band – again with that same care that was apparent throughout the evening. Speaking to some of them, they tell me how YUNGBLUD saved their life when they were in a bad place, and how they have fostered lasting friendships in the BHC community. I leave feeling elated, and somehow feel privileged that for the night I could be part of such a meaningful community that makes up what YUNGBLUD is about to its core. He’s definitely gained a fan.
Yungblud 5pm show setlist:
‘The Funeral’ (from 2022 ‘Yungblud’ album)
‘Parents’ (from 2019 ‘The Underrated Youth’ EP)
‘Tissues’ (from 2022 ‘Yungblud’ album)
‘Fleabag’ (a 2021 single)
‘Doctor Doctor’ (from 2018 ‘21st Century Liability’ album)
‘Medication’ (from 2018 ‘21st Century Liability’ album)
‘Cotton Candy’ (from 2020 ‘Weird!’ album)
‘Strawberry Lipstick’ (from 2020 ‘Weird!’ album)
‘Loner’ (a 2018 single)
Yungblud 8pm show setlist:
‘Tissues’ (from 2022 ‘Yungblud’ album)
‘Parents’ (from 2019 ‘The Underrated Youth’ EP)
‘The Funeral’ (from 2022 ‘Yungblud’ album)
‘Fleabag’ (a 2021 single)
‘Doctor Doctor’ (from 2018 ‘21st Century Liability’ album)
‘Medication’ (from 2018 ‘21st Century Liability’ album)
‘Cotton Candy’ (from 2020 ‘Weird!’ album)
‘Strawberry Lipstick’ (from 2020 ‘Weird!’ album)
‘Loner’ (a 2018 single)
Great review of a amazing gig. Unfortunately those “fighting” fans were in fact one individual being viciously assaulted by 3 drunks that shouldn’t have even been there! True yungblud fans don’t go to a gig and fight each other.