Yungblud made an emotional return to Birmingham for his Utilita Arena show on Thursday, April 24, a performance that will be remembered for its heartfelt moments and electric energy.
Last summer at Villa Park, the Doncaster native won the hearts of both the metal community and the city with his cover of 'Changes' during Black Sabbath's final Back To The Beginning show. So, it came as no surprise mid-set at the Utilita Arena when things got emotional for artist and fans alike.
Cheers erupted around the arena as soon as the opening piano notes of 'Changes' rang out. Yungblud, also known as Dominic Harrison, told fans he had been scared of returning to Birmingham to perform it because of the life-changing impact the song has had since last summer. He dedicated 'Changes' to Ozzy, describing him as his 'friend in the sky tonight,' and delivered a stunning rendition of the track originally released by Black Sabbath in the 1970s and later made famous by Ozzy and his daughter Kelly in the early 2000s.
Harrison expressed his adopted love for the city, telling fans, 'I love Birmingham, I promise I will come back here every year until I die,' prompting a wild response from the crowd.
Yungblud was in town as part of a UK tour supporting last year's fourth album, 'Idols.' The record saw him lean into British classic and 70s-infused rock, a move that earned him plaudits from fans and critics alike, both young and old, who packed a sold-out Utilita Arena.
What was on paper a relatively short 14-song set was actually a masterclass by a frontman who has become the torchbearer for a new generation of rock fans. Harrison was the star of the show all night, flanked by half a dozen other musicians but spending every moment in the limelight, running across every inch of the stage, which was flooded with a shallow covering of dry ice.
The stage setup was relatively simple for an arena show, with Harrison and his band performing beneath a faux gothic arch with huge LED screens displaying live footage of the artist and fans all night.
After an intro tape of 'War Pigs,' Yungblud opened with 'Hello Heaven, Hello,' with tickertape exploding over fans' heads when the nine-minute epic kicked into life. 'The Funeral' and 'Idols Pt. I' followed in quick succession, with Harrison discarding his leather waistcoat to huge cheers and opting to play the rest of the set topless, wearing black leather trousers, boots, and occasionally black sunglasses.
Watching Harrison perform, it's easy to see parts of Freddie, Jagger, Iggy, and Ozzy in his mannerisms, energy, and passion. He frequently urged fans to get their hands in the air, a beloved trope of the latter.
'Lovesick Lullaby' and the 2021 single 'fleabag' were among the set's early highlights. For 'fleabag,' Harrison picked a fan from the audience, James from Birmingham, to join him on guitar. Later, during an extended version, Harrison climbed out among the crowd and was held aloft by fans.
There was a good dose of silliness too, with a segment where Yungblud urged fans to stick their tongues out, captured on camera and broadcast across the arena. Fans were also encouraged to make new acquaintances with those beside them.
Pyrotechnics added to the rock show atmosphere, with jets of fire shooting up from the front of the stage, illuminating and heating up the front few rows.
After closing his set with 'Loner,' Yungblud returned for 'Ghosts' before a huge rendition of 'Zombie,' with the entire arena singing along with the house lights on.
Yungblud isn't reinventing the rock and roll wheel, but to claim he is would miss the point. His current sound follows a well-trodden path by some of the country's greats, but what he does with aplomb is take that mantle and give a huge demographic of fans the best night of their lives.
It's easy to discount as hyperbole when a touring musician heaps praise upon the city their tour bus has arrived in, but hearing Harrison talk about Birmingham, it's clear he has developed a genuine love for the city and its people.
Sadly, after two years, Yungblud's festival Bludfest heads to mainland Europe this summer rather than its adopted home at The National Bowl in Milton Keynes. Given the size of the wave Yungblud is currently riding, it's a safe bet he'll be back there and at venues like the Utilita again soon.
Yungblud played: Hello Heaven, Hello; The Funeral; Idols Pt. I; Lovesick Lullaby; My Only Angel; fleabag; Lowlife; Changes (Black Sabbath cover); I Need You (To Make The World Seem Fine); Fire; Loner; Encore: Ghosts; Zombie; Suburban Requiem.
