James Bay - The Up All Night Tour
In 2019, 15-year-old Lara went to see her first ever real concert: Ed Sheeran at the Hockenheimring. His opening act, James Bay, was the first taste I got of real live music and it made me realize how important these Shows will be in my life. Having the honor to photograph his headline show on January 26th, 2025, at the Palladium in Cologne now was a full-circle moment for me, and boy, did he deliver!
The concert started off with the Irish band Kingfishr, who immediately set the mood for the entire night. True to their origin, they brought insane vocals, beautiful instrumentals and the most contagious joyous energy to the stage, getting the audience to clap, sing and dance along in a matter of seconds. "Tonight, we’re all Irish," said frontman Eddie Keogh before getting off the stage to perform their third song, "Shot in the Dark," in the middle of the crowd. All lights went off, the fans turned on their flashlights and goosebumps erupted all over the room.
At 9pm, lights went low and to the beat of a drum, James Bay made his way to the stage, obviously wearing his signature hat. Starting the show with the song that gave the entire tour its name, "Up All Night" brought an immense amount of energy and community to the room and from the very second he started singing, he had the entire crowd, up to the last person, hooked. This didn’t change for the entirety of the night and cologne once again delivered one of the loudest crowds I’ve ever heard, the amount of emotion they put into every clap and every word sung never disappoints.
Two fans in the front row brought signs with them, asking him to play his songs "Bad" and "Go On" to which he responded that he couldn’t remember all the words, but would try nonetheless. With this, one of the most magical moments of nights took place. It was just him with his guitar on stage, one singular spotlight on him and a collective gasp went through the audience when his raspy voice held an incredibly beautiful tone that had all jaws on the floor (mine included).
While most of the show remained energetic and fun, trust a folk musicians to always find a way to bring a sense of melancholy and sadness to the function.
As soon as the first note to "Let It Go" hit, the fans knew they were in for a treat.
No eye stayed dry and many hugs were exchanged as he performed his emotional hit song.
A song that also hit close to home for many was "Dogfight". Being the last song on his newest album "Changes all the time", it’s a manifestation of hope and a newfound sense of self after a rough patch in life.
It left me feeling comforted and reflective and I’ll take this experience with me for a long time.
Ending the show with one of his most popular songs, "Hold Back the River", was a genuine power move and kept the crowd 100% involved until the end. No one could keep themselves from singing and dancing, and, even though it gave me flashbacks to my time in my school choir, I obviously had to party along.
Overall, James Bay brought an unbelievable energy to Cologne that no one will forget so quickly, and it is safe to say that, even though everyone knows at least one song of his, he is incredibly underrated.
The amount of soul in his voice and his music is enchanting and I am incredibly glad I got to witness this show.
As a certified folk girly, I can safely say that it is a must for everyone who enjoys this kind of music to be part of this incredible crowd at least once.
So next time, I hope to see you all there!
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REVIEW BY Lara Ann Schumacher
Lara Ann
Hiya, I’m Lara! I’ve been into photography my entire life & the second I went to my first gig I knew that concerts would play a huge role in all this! When I’m not at a gig I’m usually out hiking and traveling, taking pictures of everything that I find beautiful (which is a lot).
I always try to capture the depth and warmth of a moment & I strive to get all the feelings across!