Shawn Mendes Concert Review

Shawn Mendes ... where do I begin? My idolisation for him began a few years back, with the release of his album, Handwritten in 2015. Not only was he a dashing young singer, but his voice was literally that of an angel, singing such melodious songs with catchy hooks and sweet lyrics.

Fast forward a few years and here I am, a 20 year old woman and I still think Shawn Mendes really has it all. When he released his self titled album in 2018, I found myself enjoying his new edgy, funky sound more so than the acoustic pop I'd become so used to. When I listen to his music it just lifts my emotions, whether I'm commuting up to uni or walking around the shops, having Mendes crooning through my headphones is sure to put me in a better mood. His Illuminate album (2016) quite literally got me through the pain of my 3 day Art A Level exam. I owe him that A*.

I went to see his Illuminate tour a few years ago. I took my mum (who better to take, eh?) and we were not disappointed. This year, me and my mum upheld this newly installed tradition and we went to his self titled tour at the O2 arena on Tuesday 16th April 2019. The show had a totally different vibe, Mendes' voice has developed so much; those falsetto notes he was reaching were ridiculously impressive. Literal birdsong.

Our tickets gave us access to the Amazon Deck, where we enjoyed a good ol' pizza and cider as we waited in anticipation for the lights to go down and the crowd to start screaming. The deck area was extremely enjoyable, with a bar, seating areas and a lot of space to walk around, have a boogie and to just enjoy as opposed to being cooped up in 1 seat for hours. I would definitely book those tickets again.

Alessia Cara was Shawn's support act and boy did she warm up the crowd. I first discovered Alessia Cara a few years back when she released her single "Here" as 14 year old me could relate to the woes of tragic house parties, so I sang along to every word. She played a large variety of songs, upbeat and slow, with the best one being How Far I'll Go from Disney's Moana Soundtrack. The crowd was absolutely deafening. It was beautiful. She sounded even better live than on her records, and she was just so authentic, raw and a true pleasure to watch. Me and mum ended up listening to her all the way back home (sorry, Shawn.)

Then, Shawn's performance began shortly after (right on time, I might add). He started the set off with "Lost in Japan", an absolute bop off his newest album. Having just come back from a trip around Japan, my mum was absolutely loving it albeit she was more obsessed by the cherry blossoms that appeared on the big screens as opposed to Shawn himself (#priorities).

What I loved about Shawn's set was the mix of songs, old and new, that he played for us. He whipped out utter classics such as Treat You Better and Stitches, which we all went wild for. I didn't even care that I was stood next to what appeared to be a 10 year old girl. 20 years old at a Mendes concert and I have zero shame about it. He spent a good 20 minutes on the smaller, round stage in the center of the arena, just to give us a different perspective and for a change of scenery I suppose. He tinkled the ivories, strummed his guitar and sang his heart out, proving that he is indeed just as talented as you think, if not, more.

Another thing both me and my mum loved were the wristbands we were given right at the start of the show. They all lit up in sequences, twinkling in blue, pink and green, giving us a kaleidoscope of rainbow colours to ooh and aah at whilst being serenaded by Shawn Mendes. Not only was it aesthetically so beautiful, but it united the crowd in a way I had never experienced before, which I found so special and unique.

In summary, the concert was an absolute blast and there's nobody I would have rather spent it with than my fabulous Mum! Shawn was absolutely phenomenal, giving us what seemed like 200% and putting his absolutely heart and soul into every note, every strum on the guitar and every lyric. My favourite number was definitely In My Blood; the last song he sang for us. He quite literally went out with a bang (big up the pyrotechnics).Now all I can do is wear my merchandise t-shirt and look back on videos to try and relive one of the best nights of 2019 so far!