Capaldi initiated the set with a succession of early highlights, including ‘Hollywood’, ‘Grace’, and ‘Heavenly Kind of State of Mind’. Acknowledging the scale of the audience, he delivered a heavily populated setlist featuring emotional staples like ‘Wish You The Best’ and his 2017 debut single, ‘Bruises’, which prompted a massive crowd singalong.
The definitive moment of the evening arrived just over halfway through the performance. Capaldi introduced special guest Sam Fender, praising his career achievements and referencing their long-standing friendship. The duo embraced on stage before performing a duet of Fender’s current single, ‘Rein Me In’. The collaboration was particularly timely, following the track breaking the record just 24 hours prior as the longest-running number-one single of all time by a British act.
As the concert progressed into the evening, Capaldi continued through his catalogue with powerful renditions of ‘Before You Go’ and ‘The Day That I Die’. During moments of visible emotion, the audience provided vocal support, leading chants and singing the choruses to ‘Hold Me While You Wait’ and ‘Forget Me’.
Returning for an encore, Capaldi delivered a cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s ‘Have You Ever Seen The Rain’ followed by ‘Survive’. He concluded the night with ‘Someone You Loved’, thanking the audience for their continued support and confirming plans to take a hiatus to work on his next studio album.
The extensive supporting bill across the Hyde Park stages featured a main opening set from Californian singer-songwriter Conan Gray, who performed tracks from his current world tour. Indie-rock veterans The Vaccines also appeared on the main stage, delivering an energetic set of established hits alongside new material. Additional performances throughout the afternoon came from Mercury Prize nominee Jacob Alon and London-based artist Absolutely.
Photo credit: Thomas Falcone
