Zenith, Munich, Germany16th March 2016
James Bay & Rukhsana Merrise
On that Tuesday there was a lot to experience in Munich: Beside of the SCORPIONS concert there was still the Champions League game of the FC Bavaria against Juventus Turin what made the journey with the public transportation a real adventure. I chose to see the first headliner concert of JAMES BAY in Germany on this evening though.
Rukhsana Merrise
RUKHSANA MERRISE is a singer and songwriter from West London. In September, 2014, she decided to publish a song every week of the month what she also did then. From there originated her EP ‘September Songs’ which she published on Soundcloud only. Since then, about 250,000 people registered themselves on her homepage and for registering they have received the EP as free download. In the meantime, RUKHSANA MERRISE was already on UK- and European tour with other artists. www.rukhsanamerrise.com / https://www.facebook.com/rukhsana.merrise
Music & Performance
At 8:00 PM RUKHSANA MERRISE appeared on the stage with her guitarist and her drummer. The Zenith in Munich was completely sold out already for a long time after the event had to be already moved from a smaller hall to this venue. The mainly female spectators of younger age were in the best mood and thus RUKHSANA on stage was warmly welcomed. Her music offered a relatively wide spectrum from rather soul to more sounding like rock pieces, as for example the song ‘Money'. The audience was in a good mood. This was also proven by the fact that she got considerable applause after good half an hour when she finally left the stage.
Rating
Music: 7
Performance: 6
Sound: 7
Light: 5
Total: 6.3 / 10
James Bay
JAMES BAY is a singer & songwriter born 1990 in Great Britain. In 2012, the label Republic Records became attentive on him when he appeared as support of KODALINE and TOM ODELL and signed a contract with him. From the beginning, he was exceedingly successful: Thus his first studio album ‘Chaos and the Calm’, which was published in 2015, reached golden status in Germany and the Swiss and in Great Britain even the double platinum status. He already received some honouring, e.g., only this year four BRIT Awards! www.jamesbay.com / https://www.facebook.com/jamesbaymusic
Music & Performance
At 9:00 PM it was time and the waiting of the fans came to an end. On the white canvas, the shades of JAMES BAY appeared to the first sounds of ‘Collide’. The canvas fell down and now the spectators could see the whole stage and JAMES BAY with his band. The young artist started with full power right away and the audience was not holding back from the beginning. The mood was obviously good, just as the sound – what is not always the case at the Zenith. The stage was simple: in the background a black canvas with JAMES BAY stroke was to be seen. The main attention of the show lay completely on the presentation of JAMES BAY. And it was worthy of notice. He made inspired the listeners sometimes with hard guitar rock, sometimes with quiet ballads or also electrifying solo inserts.
After every song he changed his guitar and motivated occasionally the audience to co-applause over and over again and people happily followed his command. The listeners were exceedingly sure about the lyrics and supported the singer with the versatile and easy to remember voice loudly. During the whole show the slender, completely black dressed JAMES BAY, who stood of course not without his hat on stage, allowed himself no break and whirled over and over again dynamically over the stage. During one and a half hour he presented all hits, as for example ‘Hold Back The River‘ and ‘Let It Go‘. His additions included also the classic song ‘Proud Mary‘ whom he interpreted excellently. No miracle that he received a lot of applause during, as well as after the concert. The listeners wouldn't let the endowed guitarist and singer leave at all...
Setlist
01. Collide
02. Craving
03. When We Were On Fire
04. If You Ever Want To Be In Love
05. Need The Sun To Break
06. Running
07. Let It Go
08. Scars
09. Move Together
10. Best Fake Smile
11. Get Out While You Can
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12. Incomplete
13. Proud Mary (Cover)
14. Hold Back The River
Rating
Music: 10
Performance: 8
Sound: 9
Light: 8
Total: 8.8 /10
This concert was by far one of the best ones which I have seen during the last years! I hope, JAMES BAY continues on this high level and that one can experience him rather often so ingeniously and creatively on stage! Really a pleasure – not only for the ears!
All pictures by Erika Knepper (www.facebook.com/erikaknepper)
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