Sam Fender is the people’s champion. After being discovered working in his local pub, he’s topped album charts and festival bills with searing guitar anthems about coming of age in Britain. His warm, frustrated songs have earned him the title The Geordie Bruce Springsteen but he’s always done things his own way. On Friday night, Fender played his biggest ever headline gig at London’s Olympic Stadium ahead of a trio of homecoming shows at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. It was also the largest crowd the venue has ever seen, edging out a record previously set in 2023 by R&B megastar The Weeknd. “Bizarre” is how Fender described things onstage.
From the resilient opening track Getting Started to the closing triumph of Hypersonic Missiles, Fender’s lyrics were constantly bellowed back by 82,500 fans of all ages. Those angsty songs that doggedly sniff out hope have made him the voice of several generations.
