ALEXANDER STEWART // LAFAYETTE, LONDON
In support of his newly released album “bleeding heart”, Alexander Stewart played to a sold-out Lafayette in London on a hot Summer evening.
★★★★☆ (4/5)
The evening saw Stewart display his unique brand of modern pop in the subterranean caverns of the venue. He delighted fans with a setlist that covered his dazzling career.
Opening with forlorn stinger “broken by you” it was clear that Stewart was immediately in his element as he prowled the stage while delivering flawless vocals. This was followed smoothly by “said so”. In the opening two songs, the passion of the audience was shown by a constant chorus of fans matching Stewart word for word.
A cover of the Bruno Mars track “when I was your man” further showed just how versatile Stewart’s soulful vocals were. Deftly moving from rumbling lows to piercing highs.
Throughout, Stewart’s backing band brought a hardy grit to the performances, preventing the energy of the set from staying too low. This was displayed well as they took a brief break from the stage which allowed Stewart to display his softer side.
During this time he thanked the audience for their participation throughout. Focussing on the sense of community that he has cultivated in his fanbase.
“I wish you cheated” closed out the encore. Sounding as heart-wrenching as ever, Stewart poured his all into the delivery and was rewarded by the audience roaring the lyrics back to him.
There was no quick bow out once the music was over, however, as Stewart stayed to give his thanks to members of the audience. This was warmly received and reflected the caring thread that was woven through all aspects of the show. The audience left euphoric, cheers drowning out the last notes of Stewart and his band as they left the stage.
From their prowess on stage, it is clear that Alexander Stewart is ready to leap up onto the big stages, with production and stagecraft which will captivate audiences with a taste for heartbreak anthems. In a short span, he has produced enough gems that his sets are packed with crowd-pleasers. Not just mellow lamentations but also energising rockers that explore a breadth of topics on growing up in the modern world.