If the solo careers borne from One Direction and 5 Seconds Of Summer have taught us anything, it’s the pop band members get much better when they’re allowed to let their hair down. Bradley Simpson might equivocate to The Vamps’ Harry Styles or Ashton Irwin, both in visibility and a propensity for grand rock statements. Rolling it out on this headline tour, you certainly feel the weight that’s behind it, and a built-in fanbase ready to elevate the vibe and polish it to a fine sheen doesn’t hurt, either. The main thing, though, is that Simpson unequivocally knows how to sell this, the hallmark of a guy who’s been born and bred for pop music stardom.
So, as he arrives in Manchester’s O2 Ritz, all the stops have unquestionably been pulled out. The best stuff from The Panic Years requires it, where the showmanship might not be ostentatious as a Styles or an Irwin, but it’s undeniable all the same. The swell and bluster is exactly as it should be, rushing through pop, indie and classic rock with exceptional ease and confidence. If the aim were to take Vamps fans in the room and give them this new musical awakening, this is the way to go about it. Throw in a changing cover to reflect the heritage of each date’s area (this time it’s the Buzzcocks’ Ever Fallen In Love), and have likeminded pop-rock wunderkind Nieve Ella as backup (quite literally as she joins Simpson for their collaboration Favourite Band), and a new era and flavour of stardom awaits.
An intimate, mic-free The Band’s Not Breaking Up holds a sentiment that so many Vamps fans want to hear, but Simpson’s capability on his own speaks for itself. Dean Cavanagh headed over to watch it all unfold.
Nieve Ella
Bradley Simpson
Photos by Dean Cavanagh (Instagram)
