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LIVE REVIEW
BABY QUEEN
NEWCASTLE - NUSU
Photos and review: David Weddle @dweddleconcertphotos
With the release of her debut album getting closer and closer, Bella Latham, aka Baby Queen, has been on the road introducing the new songs to a dedicated and ever-growing fanbase.
The new album, 'Quarter Life Crisis' is a chronicle of the rising star's transition into her early 20s from childhood and adolescence. It is available from the 10th of November so the crowd at Newcastle's NUSU was about to hear the new music for the very first time, and you could feel the excitement and anticipation in the air.
Joining Baby Queen on the tour was Viji (real name: Vanilla Jenner), who walked onstage to huge cheers from the room. Breaking the ice by saying "Hello Glasgow!" before being corrected by her bandmates, who were in hysterics at the singer's faux-pas, an easy mistake to make and one that Viji handled with class, instantly endearing her to the Newcastle audience.
Blasting out an impressive set, full of grit and attitude and style with an air of 90's indie rock with a modern edge, Viji and her band were in great form, and the crowd was lapping it up. Although this was a support set, it was a tonne of fun and showcased Viji's powerful vocals with a range that is up there with the best of them.
The new album, 'Quarter Life Crisis' is a chronicle of the rising star's transition into her early 20s from childhood and adolescence. It is available from the 10th of November so the crowd at Newcastle's NUSU was about to hear the new music for the very first time, and you could feel the excitement and anticipation in the air.
Joining Baby Queen on the tour was Viji (real name: Vanilla Jenner), who walked onstage to huge cheers from the room. Breaking the ice by saying "Hello Glasgow!" before being corrected by her bandmates, who were in hysterics at the singer's faux-pas, an easy mistake to make and one that Viji handled with class, instantly endearing her to the Newcastle audience.
Blasting out an impressive set, full of grit and attitude and style with an air of 90's indie rock with a modern edge, Viji and her band were in great form, and the crowd was lapping it up. Although this was a support set, it was a tonne of fun and showcased Viji's powerful vocals with a range that is up there with the best of them.
A short break followed, which gave the stage crew a chance to change the set for the headline act and the revellers the opportunity to grab a refreshment or two.
As The Vaccines played through the PA, the crowd was visibly excited, and they were singing along, warming up their voices for Baby Queen. Before long, the lights dimmed, and the band took to the stage and cracked on with the intro to the title track of the new album, 'Quarter Life Crisis'.
The atmosphere in the room was absolutely electric as Baby Queen followed the band on to the stage and took to the mic. Baby Queen belted out the first song of the night, pausing for a second to say how beautiful the crowd was. Seamlessly moving in to 'Kid Genius' Baby Queen kept the flow and energy going, and the NUSU was buzzing by the end of the second song.
A quick 30-second break to say hi to Newcastle before the opening chords of the anthemic 'Dream Girl' got things moving again. The band is so tight, and they all seemed to be having a great time. Baby Queen to time to pretend to help play the bass guitar and even took to standing on the drum kit to the amusement of her drummer.
Baby Queen took a few minutes to talk to the crowd and encouraged them to leave their inhibitions at the door and have a good time. She explained that it was a bit nerve-wracking to play these songs in front of people who hadn't heard them before, but the Newcastle audience was really into the new material, and for good reason.
As The Vaccines played through the PA, the crowd was visibly excited, and they were singing along, warming up their voices for Baby Queen. Before long, the lights dimmed, and the band took to the stage and cracked on with the intro to the title track of the new album, 'Quarter Life Crisis'.
The atmosphere in the room was absolutely electric as Baby Queen followed the band on to the stage and took to the mic. Baby Queen belted out the first song of the night, pausing for a second to say how beautiful the crowd was. Seamlessly moving in to 'Kid Genius' Baby Queen kept the flow and energy going, and the NUSU was buzzing by the end of the second song.
A quick 30-second break to say hi to Newcastle before the opening chords of the anthemic 'Dream Girl' got things moving again. The band is so tight, and they all seemed to be having a great time. Baby Queen to time to pretend to help play the bass guitar and even took to standing on the drum kit to the amusement of her drummer.
Baby Queen took a few minutes to talk to the crowd and encouraged them to leave their inhibitions at the door and have a good time. She explained that it was a bit nerve-wracking to play these songs in front of people who hadn't heard them before, but the Newcastle audience was really into the new material, and for good reason.
Playing a set that is full of new songs is daunting for any artist, but Baby Queen gave her fans a bit of everything, including songs like 'You Shaped Hole' and 'Buzzkill', alongside the new material, which helped the audience familiarise themselves with the new songs, and by the sound of their singing, they are already fan favourites.
It was a great night that was packed full of energy, and I left the venue with a real sense that something special had just happened. If you get the chance to catch a Baby Queen show, I would highly recommend it. Great vocals, great musicianship, great songs, and great energy. Is that too many greats in one sentence? Probably, but they are all justified.
'Quarter Life Crisis' is available wherever you get your music from the 10th of November.
It was a great night that was packed full of energy, and I left the venue with a real sense that something special had just happened. If you get the chance to catch a Baby Queen show, I would highly recommend it. Great vocals, great musicianship, great songs, and great energy. Is that too many greats in one sentence? Probably, but they are all justified.
'Quarter Life Crisis' is available wherever you get your music from the 10th of November.