From Intimate Venues to Iconic Stages: Elles Bailey's London Triumph
At the time of writing, I had already attended three previous Elles Bailey shows on this tour, so I knew I was in for a real treat—and tonight exceeded all expectations.
My journey with Elles began back in July 2018 at the Nashville Meets London event at Pizza Express. I've been following her ever since, from the days of the "Elberton Sessions"—I've got that on vinyl! Driving to the venue, I passed The Lexington, where she launched "The Road I Call Home" in March 2019. It's incredible to think that tonight's crowd could have filled that venue many times over. Then there was her next big date at Lafayette on the last tour, which was practically sold out—a huge achievement for an independent artist. On the "Shining in the Half Light" tour, we moved on to Islington Assembly Hall, one of the pinnacle venues for indie artists, and she packed it both upstairs and downstairs.
Despite not feeling her best, Elles handed hosting duties over to Demi, whose set was short but sweet. You should check out her new record—you can currently only grab it on her own tour, and she has a few dates left. The Cinelli Brothers were the main support act, bringing a high-energy blues-rock set that was nothing short of outstanding. Their 30-minute performance was pure perfection. An Elles gig isn't just about her; it's about the incredible support acts she personally handpicks.
Now, onto the main event. Despite feeling unwell, Elles pulled out all the stops to deliver a phenomenal show. Honestly, if she hadn't mentioned it, you'd never have known. She gave us a full-on set. During the performance, she mentioned first seeing Larkin Poe play here a few years ago, and supporting Walter Trout was a bucket-list moment for her. She only supported him last year, and now she's headlining this iconic venue—smashing her own dreams!
"Enjoy The Ride" kicked off the show with high-octane energy, setting us up for a musical journey ahead. As Elles puts it, her show is like a roller coaster—we're brought up and down, and right now, the energy is sky-high as we move into "Leave the Light On." The line "To the place we call our own" resonated deeply, touching on themes of finding sanctuary amid chaos. But there's no chaos here; she has the crowd eating out of the palm of her hand.
"Ballad of the Broken Dreams" came next. Switching to the piano, Elles delivered a masterclass in vocal performance. "1972" then brought a funky, lighter atmosphere to the venue. Other standout tracks included "Silhouette in a Sunset," where the pure tone of Elles' vocals was absolutely stunning live—it gets better every time. This part of the show is fan-led, and one song kept winning so much it had to go back into the setlist: "Medicine Man," undoubtedly a fan favorite.
As an avid follower for years, I've witnessed how Elles' vocals have grown and evolved. Her unique signature vocal tone has only become more captivating over time, leaving you in awe if you've never seen her live before.
A magical moment was when she paused to give a heartfelt tribute to Matt Long, who had recently passed away—it was an emotional moment, and I'm amazed she held it together. At times, she sat down to rest, jokingly inviting us to her "stool party lol." "What's the Matter with You" followed—a song that, as Elles says, isn't even a single but is a firm singalong track. She remarked how much she loves that fans are singing along to album tracks.
As an advocate for no talking during support sets, there was a moment just before "Let It Burn" during the encore where a slight raised eyebrow from Elles silenced the chatty ones—ha! She noted that people had come from far and wide for the gig, and under no circumstances was she going to cancel. When someone shouted, "I've come from Finland for this," she exclaimed, "I need to get over there!" There was then a friendly competition of who had come the furthest: Cape Town, New Zealand, Chile—she's reached a level where fans will travel across the globe to see her in her biggest show yet.
"Sunshine City" closed the evening, and she was joined by The Cinelli Brothers for an epic finale. Of course, Demi delivered an outstanding signature solo moment, and one of the brothers jumped on keys to add even more layers to the sound. It was the perfect ending to an unforgettable night.
The previous weekend, I attended the Bristol show—her biggest hometown gig ever—and it was pure magic. The energy was exceptional. "Turn Off The News" saw the co-writer of the track join Elles on stage, creating another magical moment to share.
Having followed Elles for so long and looking back at previous gig videos, it's amazing to see that her backing band has remained consistent over the years, with the recent addition of Demi Marriner. You can tell they all have a genuine connection on stage—the energy they radiate is incredible. What's next for Elles? As an avid gig-goer in London, the next jump in venue capacity is quite significant, but at the rate she's going, she could definitely fill it. With a huge support slot opening for Rag'n'Bone Man just announced, there's no stopping her.
If you can make it to any of the remaining dates, it's a must-see. I guarantee she won't be playing these smaller venues for much longer. The entire set is a masterclass in performance—the stagecraft, the highs and lows—it truly is a roller-coaster ride.
