Drawing towards the release of his new EP ‘Hold Back The River’, James Bay set off on a sold out UK and Ireland tour, stopping by Dublin’s Academy.
Support band on the night came in the form of Donegal duo Little Hours who won the crowd over with their smooth, melodic songs and humble, endearing stage presence. Playing mostly tracks from their new EP which came out yesterday, their live presence was impeccable, showcasing the same standard of songwriting and talent from the pair.
James Bay stepped up on stage with a simple “We’re in Dublin.” before kicking off his set, encapsulating some familiar tracks from previously released EPs as well as some brand new tracks we can expect to hear on the forthcoming ‘Hold Back The River’ release.
A definitely worthy upgrade from the smaller Academy 2 on his last headline trip to Dublin, Bay set the recently refurbished venue alight with his blend of mellow emotive offerings and his more upbeat, soaring numbers.
Stand out tracks of the night included ‘Let It Go’, ‘Move Together’, ‘Running’ and the latest gem which was executed as the closing track, ‘Hold Back The River’. The life and power the track holds is easily doubled in a live setting and James certainly knows how to perform.
James Bay is set to grow and grow as both a live and recorded artist. With a new EP on the way and an even bigger UK tour announced for next year, we’ve a feeling the demand and venues alike will only grow.