18th March 2018, Gorilla
Words: Oli
Gorilla was undoubtedly the place to be on Sunday night as music lovers both young and old congregated together to see Zak Abel’s second performance of his UK tour.
Starting of the night was solo performer, Huntar. Fashioning an R&B groove tied together with strong vocal melodies similar to the likes of The 1975 & Drake, Huntar opened up with a gripping performance as he spun his poetic lyrics around his grooving beats, which the crowd adored. Offering great theatrics, he would often run from one end of the stage to the other, connecting with his audience. As the set progressed, he treated the crowd to the new track ‘StopNoPause’. The song offered an infectious feel through synchronised drums and bass along with innovative lyrics. Along with playing a rendition of Kevin Lyttle’s ‘Turn Me On’ and a snippet of ‘Hotline Bling’, Huntar closed with his 2016 single ‘4AM’. Starting off with a singular bass drum along with vocals, the song built up to a crescendo that resonated the room.
As the venue continued to fill, Zak Abel took to the stage and was met with an incredibly warm welcome from the audience. He was backed by a three-piece band, providing a great sense of diversity within tracks, as synth and lead guitar lines helped add to the unique sound and engaging performance. Opening with ‘Still Want UUU’, the band demonstrated their funk-pop sound almost immediately and the crowd couldn’t help but sing and dance in response. Powering through his set of catchy songs, the crowd were treated to soon-to-be-released track ‘Love Song’. It began with keys accompanied by Zak’s moving vocals to create a highly ambient feel until the bass line kicks in. As well as playing crowd favourite ‘Awakening’, the band continued with a rendition of ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’ by Bill Withers along with an impromptu performance of ‘Last Request’ by Paolo Nutini. It’s safe to say that whatever Zak sang, the crowd amplified it until it reached every corner of the room. He released his debut album in October, and it’s easy to see why crowds adore him.
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