Words and photography by Grace Minghella

Love was in the air already the night before valentines day at James Bay’s sold out show in Wembley. The show was a truly memorable experience. From the second he stepped on stage opening with “Up All Night,” he had the crowd completely captivated and singing along, almost as loudly as him. His vocals were as powerful and emotive as ever the entire night, making it feel as though you were listening straight from the CD.

The setlist was a great balance of his older hits and newer releases, flowing seamlessly from heartfelt ballads to more upbeat and energetic songs, showing off his talent from all different angles. A highlight from the show was the surprise appearance of Myles Smith for a duet of “Let It Go,” which added a unique and emotional touch to the evening and surprising absolutely everyone in the room.

James managed to create a warm, intimate atmosphere, engaging with the audience in a way that felt sincere and personal and enforced the love that was in the air that night regardless of the capacity of the venue. He closed the show with arguably his biggest hit “Hold Back The River,” leaving the audience on an high and closing the night with a bang.

This was one of the most interesting concerts i have shot for as i had to try my best to make each shot interesting and not the same even though he was pretty stationary with his guitar the entire night which made it a little difficult. The lighting used at this show made the photos turn out really well and they capture the emotive atmosphere in the venue!