Words by Hanna Makowska
If Holly Humberstone has made one thing clear over the past few years, it is that she is a force to be reckoned with. Her long-awaited return to Manchester implied nothing different, with her sold-out show at New Century Hall inviting fans into the immersive landscape of her sophomore record, Cruel World.
Opening the night was the incredible Heidi Curtis. With poignant lyrics and searing vocals, it is evident that Curtis is a natural-born performer. Adopting a seventies-inspired sound similar to that of Fleetwood Mac and Daisy Jones and the Six, Curtis gave a grand performance, full to the brim with classic elegance. Particular standout tracks from Curtis’ set included ‘Lost and Found’, a moving number from the artist’s debut EP chronicling the power of live music, and ‘Undone’. The latter was chosen as Curtis’ closing track of the set and debut single alike, creating a sentimental, full-circle moment which clearly amplified the sense of community within the room.
Soon after Curtis left the stage, a carefully curated pre-show playlist caused the atmosphere to heighten even further, as excitement and tension mounted. Suddenly, the stage went black and a mysterious ticking noise could be heard: it was time to enter Humberstone’s Cruel World.
As soon as Humberstone graced the stage, it became clear that this was exactly what she was born to do. From theatrical set designs to a captivating stage presence, this night felt like more than just a concert. It was a spellbinding performance, reminiscent of storybooks and fairy tales. Opening the set was the unreleased
‘Make It All Better
’, acting as a glimpse into what the
new record entails. This transitioned flawlessly into the hit single
‘ To Love Somebody’, which was met with a high-energy crowd excitedly singing the lyrics back to their beloved artist.
‘The Walls Are Way Too Thin’ and ‘Cruel World’ followed seamlessly, intertwining old and new tracks, and thus establishing the show as a celebration of Humberstone’s entire discography. When conversing with the audience, she adopted a reflective tone, creating a sense of unity between artist and audience. “I went to uni in Liverpool, and I’d always get the train to Manchester, because it’s fun as fuck”, Humberstone noted: hearing about how our city has nourished yet another artistic talent was incredibly heartwarming.
Another glimpse into future sounds, now released into the world, was heard with ‘Blue Dream’, and ‘White Noise’. Between catchy melodies and lyrics such as “you brought flowers in from the rain, if you put your guard down then I’ll do the same” from the former, and the melancholy of “play a sad song, DJ, I just wanna sway tonight”, found in the latter, these new tracks prove Humberstone to be nothing short of a pop powerhouse.
The set took a mellow turn with a gorgeous acoustic performance of ‘Kissing In Swimming Pools’, which emphasised the artist’s searing vocals and immense songwriting abilities. The atmosphere in the room epitomised the power of live music, with hundreds of strangers transforming into a tight-knit community: phone torches soon lit up the entire room, creating a sea of lights which matched the ethereal energy of the entire evening. Such an energy continued with the performance of ‘Die Happy’, a tender track which depicts an all-consuming love. “To die with you is to die happy”, Humberstone sings, establishing the song as a celebration of all things pure and romantic.
The following few tracks, ‘Paint My Bedroom Black’, ‘Down Swinging’, and ‘Deep End’, provided the audience with a trip down memory lane, as all three are found on separate projects. Once again, this reinforced the show’s nostalgia, as a celebration of the past as well as present and future. This is particularly true of ‘Deep End’, which Humberstone noted is her debut single, released way back in 2020. Before performing this song, Humberstone delivered a heartwarming speech, expressing immense gratitude for the support she has received from her fans over the years. This support was mirrored by the audience’s reaction to this track, as Humberstone was met with beaming smiles singing back every lyric of the song that started it all.
Perhaps the most moving moment of the show came in the breathtaking performance of ‘Beauty Pageant’. Although unreleased at the time, fans were quietly singing back lyrics about the pains of girlhood, in particular the pressures placed on women in the public eye. Heartbreaking lines such as “one day I’ll make you love me” and ‘pull on my strings and wind me up, I’ll be your favourite till I’m not” convey a message of despair and injustice alike, condemning the entertainment industry for mistreating and easily discarding women when they are no longer deemed a novelty. Accompanied by mellow piano production, this track is ironically theatrical in nature, but Humberstone’s immense songwriting ability is brought to the forefront yet again. Songs like these are incredibly important.
‘Falling Asleep at the Wheel’ and ‘Scarlett’ concluded the set’s main portion in an exciting manner. Both tracks are notoriously among the artist’s most successful and beloved, and were therefore met with enthusiastic dancing and singing. These were the ideal choices for the closing segment, as they left the crowd chanting for more – a perfect segue into the encore. Humberstone’s return to the stage after a brief intermission was marked by a moving performance of ‘Lucy’, another number unreleased at the time. The song is a message of hope, with poignant lyrics like “behind every raincloud there is a promise that flowers will grow” that are emotive and inspirational, something much needed in this Cruel World. An energetic performance of ‘Dive’ closed the show, creating a flawless end to a special night.
This spellbinding show made it clear that Humberstone was born to perform. Between her beautiful vocals, immersive set design, and incredible stage presence, a true popstar graced one of Manchester’s most iconic stages. If this show made one thing certain, it is that Humberstone is a force to be reckoned with, and Manchester eagerly awaits the return of her Cruel World.
