Gabrielle Aplin brought her Dear Happy Tour to the Olympia Theatre, Dublin on March 10th, 2020 with supporting acts of Nick Wilson and Emily Burns.
Nick Wilson filled the room with an acoustic silence clearing the air as he opened the show with himself taking to the stage with his guitar and microphone. He engaged with some banter getting the crowd lively during song breaks. He's meant to be on a stage singing to his heart's content. His talent was effortlessly shown as the delicate tunes echoed off the walls in the venue so beautifully he kicked the evening off with a lot of anticipation.
Emily Burns is electrifying, fun, and energetic, turning her pain from heartbreak into art that found her creating beautiful songs. She’s able to hold a tune in an amazing way that took the breath away from many in the audience. She got the crowd engaged clapping and singing along to her tunes. She was a great choice to add to the tour, especially with her talent for wonderful storytelling that had the crowd dancing along immediately.
After much anticipation, Aplin took to the stage with a fascinating introduction breaking into song loosening the crowd for her set ahead. Although the venue appears big, there was an intimate vibe in the theatre, especially when her energy was infectious that in turn spread throughout the audience.
Aplin brought the crowd on an emotional journey throughout her set. She played a mix of new material and old favourites that got the crowd singing and dancing from the moment she took to the stage. And with a splendid setlist, she was able to play stripped back acoustic guitar and piano ballads combining with her huge angelic vocal moments. Each ballad had an emotional intake that captivated the venue.
When the band was on stage, the drummer hit each beat with passion, the pianist played each key to his heart's content, and the electronic instrumentalist filled the sound to perfection. It was clear this band aren't just co-workers for a show they vibe as they belong together.
As the show progressed, she had a mix of tracks that urged the crowd to move and moving tunes that pulled on their heartstrings. Everyone came to the show for their own reasons, but the number one purpose was to enjoy Aplin's entertainment. She made everyone feel welcome and thankful for the turnout.
A highlight was when Aplin brought Alfie from Hudson Taylor out to sing a duet of 'Losing Me' adding more surprise and flavour to the night.
The show was well crafted, performed with excellence, and taken in by the audience. She certainly knows how to put on a show. She ended the night on a high with 'Miss You'. She never failed to deliver and she had excellent stage presence engaging with the crowd. She's original, yet familiar in the most exciting way possible.
Aplin has come a long way since being discovered on YouTube for posting acoustic covers of songs. She released her debut album, English Rain, in 2013 then released her follow-up sophomore album, Light Up The Dark, in 2015, which lead to her current album, Dear Happy, released in 2020.
Words by Danielle Holian