SELF ESTEEM // BARROWLAND BALLROOM, GLASGOW

SELF ESTEEM LIVE AT GLASGOW’S BARROWLAND BALLROOM

★★★★★ (5/5)

Self Esteem, real name Rebecca Lucy Taylor, is an artist who is bold, honest, witty and unapologetic. It’s no wonder she has taken the UK by storm since the release of her Mercury Prize shortlisted 2nd album “Prioritise Pleasure”. Spending a number of years as one half of the indie folk duo Slow Club, a role which Taylor was somewhat miscast in, it wasn’t until she took on and fully embraced the moniker of Self Esteem that her destiny of pop stardom began to take shape.

Initially beginning as a project where she released art and short films, it soon blossomed into a full blown career rejuvenation for Taylor. She has come a long way since her debut single “Your Wife” was released in 2017. With two full albums, a theatre soundtrack, and a legion of devoted fans behind her, there was no time better than now for Self Esteem to put on her biggest and best live tour to date.

Am iconic performance deserves an iconic venue and Glasgow’s Barrowland Ballroom was the perfect stage for Self Esteem. She even remarked how it had always been a dream of hers to play “The Barras” a statement that was met was universal cheers from the crowd. That was perhaps the biggest take-away of the night. Every single time there was a break in the music the crowd were rapturous in showing their appreciation for the pop star. It was a reception so good, even by Glasgows high standard, that made Self Esteem feel like a hometown hero returning after years away.

Opening the nights setlist was “Prioritise Pleasure” one of her most popular tracks, and it was instantly apparent that there was a deep rooted connection between the crowd and the artist. “Fucking Wizardry” and “Moody” completed an excellent 3 song run to open the show with some of Self Esteems catchiest songs in her catalogue. Everything that happened on-stage was expertly choreographed, from the dance moves, to the costume changes, to the stage lighting. It was more than just a musical performance, it was an all encompassing experience that overloaded the senses in the best way possible.

The performance would not be possible without the help of Self Esteems band. Her three backing singers/dancers. Marged Siôn, Levi Heaton, and Seraphina Simone are all extremely talented at what they do and it is hard to imagine a Self Esteem performance without them. It is clear to see there is real love between Self Esteem and the trio, frequently hugging each other between songs. Rounding out the lineup is drummer Mike Park, and multi-instrumentalist Sophie Galpin, who are also an integral part to the show.

The first of the aforementioned costume changes came just in time for new song “Mother” which delivered some of Self Esteems most relatable lyrics and hypnotic choreography. “How Can I Help You” sees Self Esteem even take a shot on the drums for the last portion of the song, something she does flawlessly. That is not a surprise though, superlatives like flawless are thrown around a lot when it comes to live music performances. However if only given one word to describe Self Esteems performance in the Barrowland Ballroom, it would be hard to find another that could convey just how good it really was.

Stripping away the extravagance of the performance for just a moment is the song “John Elton”. No longer flanked by the rest of her band, Self Esteem emerged with her guitar in hand. Heart wrenching lyrics and gentle strums of her guitar are all that is needed to get her point across. It isn’t long though before the performance bursts into full gear again. Rounding out the main set was “You Forever” with the crowd screaming back the lyrics “You need to be braver”, followed by the highlight of the night “I do This All The Time”. Before playing her biggest song she kept up the tradition of calling it her last song (spoiler alert, it wasn’t) which was met with resounding disappointment from the crowd who were desperate for more. There is a reason this part spoken word song was named by The Guardian as the best song of 2021. The crowd hung on her every word. The chorus resulted in the best sing along of the night as the entire crowd enthusiastically became Self Esteems near 2000 strong backing singers.

Once Self Esteem and her band left the stage the cheers and applause didn’t let up for the entire time until they returned. A three song encore of “I’m Fine”, “The Best” and “Still Reigning”, closes out the night. Each song sung back by the crowd more ferociously than the previous. If it was possible the crowd would have stood in the room much later than the curfew time as it was obvious that no one was ready to let their night end. After taking in the last of the appreciation from the crowd Self Esteem and her band departed the stage and the show was sadly over.

This was a star making performance that elevated Self Esteem into the upper echelons of the best musicians in the country today. She is an excellent song writer who can write lyrics that are sarcastic, funny, hopeful and joyous but most importantly relatable. The level of production of this current tour has shown that she is destined for the biggest arenas in the world and it won’t be long before she gets there. Expect to hear her songs on the radio and in clubs for years to come, expect to see her winning the biggest awards available, and expect to see her selling out massive arena tours. If you have the chance to get out and see Self Esteem any time soon, do yourself a favour and do it, you won’t regret it.