Going down a Storm-zy at the O2
Stormzy put on a show of a lifetime for his third and final headline show at a sold-out 02 Arena on March 29, writes Adam Davidson.
The Croydon rapper – born Michael Owuo Jr – was scheduled to take to the stage last year in support of his 2019 album Heavy is the Head but had to re-schedule due to the pandemic.
From becoming the first British rapper to headline Glastonbury Festival to winning British Album of the Year at the BRITs for his debut album, Stormzy continues to break new ground and cement his legacy as one of the UK’s great musical talents.
Watching the South London rapper give his all on stage, it is clear to see why he is a fan-favourite.
Stormzy opened up with Big Michael as he came onto the stage from a lift and followed up with Audacity and grime classics Know Me From and Cold.
The rapper showcased his flair and range as the show had the energy which is customary for any Stormzy concert but he brought soul and gospel in the middle section with six incredible backup singers performing songs like Heavy Is The Head, Crown and Rachael’s Little Brother.
The visual effects and theatrical aspect of the show were also a sight to behold from a huge crown-shaped light which lowered over Stormzy’s head to perform Wiley Flow in mid-air on a set of scales.
The crowd went wild when Streatham-born rapper Dave joined Stormzy on stage for their collaboration Clash.
After the song Stormzy said that his ‘little brother’ is in the midst of a European tour, having flown back from Stockholm on Sunday and off to Paris tomorrow but came out to perform with him.
Stormzy kept up the energy and atmosphere with Big For Your Boots and Shut Up as he ran down the catwalks with confidence and swagger, the O2 was his for the evening.
It is difficult to switch up tempos from song to song. It requires the artist to be in complete control of the situation and have that stage presence and that was again evident as he went from Shut Up to Blinded By Your Grace Pt. 2.
Speaking to the crowd he said: “The kind of career that I’ve had, you lot have championed me.
“My hometown Croydon have championed me, South London championed me and then London championed me. You lot have changed my life and I love you and appreciate you.”
Before the final song, Stormzy took a moment to take it all in, the vibes and the love from the 20,000 crowd, and after Vossi Bop he jumped into the crowd to embrace his hometown crowd.
Pictured: Stormzy performing on stage at the Brit Awards 2020 at the O2 Arena, London – PA
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