Gig Review: Yungblud at the O2 Academy, Sheffield

The lad from Doncaster has done good; or bad, if you were to take him home to meet your parents, I suspect.

On the last night of his extensive world tour, he performed at Sheffield O2 Academy to a sold out audience.

The full house of around 2,350 people - many of them misunderstood kids - adored his performance and you could feel it in every beat.

It was a homecoming gig and I reckon some of his family and old mates were in the crowd, travelling from eight miles down the road, in Doncaster.

It was his moment, his home crowd. This punky, rapping rebel owned it and it was special.

He even said so as he told everyone he loved them all and he gave support for anyone struggling with their mental health.

And as he sung out the lyrics “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” from ‘Loner’, it seemed appropriate to the mood.

I believed him as he tirelessly performed with an exciting energy, as a film crew and photographer captured his every move.

Yungblud or Dominic Harrison, the 22-year-old Yorkshire anarchist is unique but reminded me of a young Mick Jagger, Johnny Rotten, even Marilyn Manson rolled into one; with a sprinkling of Arctic Monkeys and hip-hop in there too and every other bad boy revolutionary who has ever been adored on stage.

He chucked a guitar into the audience, only for it to be thrown back at him. All gracefully caught and no injuries.

Performing older songs and some from his new album The Underrated Youth; he meant every word as he danced around non-stop for two hours.

His fans – or black hearts club as they are known - loved it when he got his white ‘Donny’ legs out and donned a black tutu.

At one point all went quiet on stage and then he appeared as if from nowhere in the middle of the audience, surrounded by a security staff cordon to keep over enthusiastic screaming fans away as he performed ‘Kill Somebody’. It was wild. The crowd loved it, screaming as they tried to reach him.

Ever generous with his time, he enjoyed mingling with the fans and gave it his all.

There was chanting ridiculing Boris Johnson in the crowd and young people, students, teens shouted about their political apathy, as his protest songs hit home.

All the girls (and boys) love him. I’m old enough to be his mother and should know better, but even I have a crush in him as does my young daughter, at her first proper standing gig; who was delirious in her adoration of him. “Awesome” she says. “Can I come with my mates next time as you showed me up with your dancing Mum.”

After a trip to the merch stall, I too was delirious at the sight of my empty purse. But then again; I think he’s worth it.

Watch out for the lad from Donny. The future looks bright for Yungblud.

Yungblud, was O2 Academy Sheffield on 29 Novemebr, 2019.

- Yungblud is also due to appear at Leeds Wardrobe on Saturday 30 November as part of an intimate series of smaller appearances.