Like so many of the faithful fans who filed into Qantas Credit Union Arena on Friday night, it felt like this Sam Smith show had been a long time coming. He’d cancelled the last shows after he needed throat surgery, so expectations were high that when the dates finally came, they’d be something special. He did not disappoint.

I must admit, I was less enthusiastic about support act Emma Louise. I’ve heard several of her singles over the years, and they just didn’t grab me. I’m not sure what it is. Her voice is stunning, and she puts on a decent show, but I think the songs just miss the hooks I need to draw me in. Having said that though, I might have been in the minority. I’m not sure whether the general admission holders on the floor were just happy to have someone up on stage, or whether it was Emma Louise herself, but I can’t recall a lot of crowds responding so rapturously to the support act.

While I couldn’t quite get behind Emma Louise, Sam Smith had me from the get go with “Life Support.” His voice, stunning on the recordings, is every bit as strong in the flesh. But it’s his charisma that I wasn’t as aware of. He really has an energy that radiates. So often when you buy the cheap seats you lose that energy, but he captivated us all with that certain something. He’s also a really giving performer. I love an artist who wants to really share some of themselves with an audience, who tells stories about the songs and the circumstances that formed them.

With just one album, the award-winning In the Lonely Hour, under his belt, fans were treated to almost everything they wanted to hear. I must admit to feeling a twinge of disappointment that one of my personal favourites, “Good Thing,” didn’t make the set list, but it’s impossible to feel too put out when it’s the only song that wasn’t featured. A man’s got to get the red pen out somewhere, and I appreciated that he rewarded the dedication of the really serious fans with the Disclosure track “Together” and a track from the pre-album EP of the same name, “Nirvana.”

Sam Smith is a proper soul singer, so it felt so right to see him busting out a few covers, like the excellent medley of Amy Winehouse’s “Tears Dry on Their Own,” dedicated to the late soul singer, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” and “Le Freak.” “Not in That Way” provided a natural segue for a little “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” and taking “Money on My Mind” into CeCe Peniston’s “Finally” was the perfect way to close the first act of the show. The encore of “Latch,” “Make it to Me,” and finally the breakthrough hit “Stay With Me” had everyone in raptures. Those covers weren’t just a way of padding out a set. They helped balance it, adding some brightness that helped even out the darkness of the album tracks and more closely reflected Sam’s current mood.

I couldn’t help but think of George Michael as I watched Sam Smith perform, looking so dapper in his suit, charming the audience, and singing like a dream. Singers of that ilk don’t come along every day, and I feel very lucky to have seen him now, before he’s selling out stadiums. With talent like his, that time isn’t too far off.

Image source: own photo