Emotion-Filled Homecoming for Lewis Capaldi at OVO Hydro, Glasgow

2025-09-17

Lewis Capaldi | OVO Hydro | Glasgow, SCL, 09.14.2025 | Photo by ©Kerry Steyn

Glasgow, Scotland: There was a buzz going around the sold-out 14,000 OVO Hydro arena on Sunday that I don’t think I’ve ever felt there before (and trust me, I’ve seen my fair share of big-name performers grace that stage). An eager audience of young, old and in-between were patiently waiting for the return of our local hero, with collective breaths held to hear the voice of an artist who has had an incredibly challenging couple of years out of the spotlight return home to alternatively break our hearts, make us laugh and lift our souls. Lewis Capaldi did all that and more.

Warming us up for the main event were Aaron Rowe and Skye Newman, great choices to complement Lewis’ sound with their own soulful, stripped-back sets. As the stage lights dimmed for the main event, the crowd began the traditional chant of “Oh Lewis Capaldi” to the tune of Seven Nation Army and the man himself walked out, took his guitar and started the set with “Survivor”. From the get-go, it felt like every single person in the auditorium was singing with him. I’ve never had the chance to see him in concert before, and to hear that famously raspy yet vulnerable voice perform live really packs an unexpected emotional punch – he is so note perfect you’d almost think you were listening to a recording. As well as being an incredible singer, Lewis is also a hilarious guy, and tonight he was a little quieter than usual during the first few songs, but he was soon in full stride. It really strikes you just how many hits he has, with songs like “Wish You The Best”, “Bruises” and “Forget Me” feeling so familiar yet vital when played by him and his five-piece band.

He did delight us with three new songs – “Heavenly Kind of State of Mind” followed by “Something In The Heavens”, which showcased a beautiful, delicate alto performance from Lewis and was accompanied by glowing wristbands and a scattering of confetti from the ether and completing the trio with the crushing vulnerability of “The Day That I Die”. Sitting at the piano, Lewis tells us that although he’s currently in “the best place” he’s been in a while, he wrote this during the darkest period of his struggle with his mental health and recent Tourette’s diagnosis. It’s by far his most personal song, and the lyrics hit hard, touching on his feelings of uncertainty about whether he would still be here and living any kind of life. He is incredibly open and honest about his health and is a vocal advocate for more support for mental health issues. In fact, he has teamed up with online therapy group BetterHelp to donate 734,000 hours of free therapy to fans (reflecting the 734 days he took out from performing to concentrate on his own health) and often talks about how therapy has helped him get back to a better place.

He joked with us that if we didn’t like the songs he’d never play them again and we could all forget that anything had happened – he’s not got anything to worry about, though, going by the response. As he rounds up with “Before You Go” and tells us that this is the part where he pretends to walk off and that the show is finished, the chants started up again. Finishing the powerhouse of a set with an acoustic “How I’m Feeling Now” and “Hold Me While You Wait”, he crowned a genuinely powerful and moving show with the massive “Someone You Loved”. “Thank you all so much, it means the world”, he said. “I didn’t know if anyone would be here to watch”. Hopefully, a completely sold-out tour and 14,000 people so full of affection for him that it was palpable showed him that he’ll always be someone we love.