When it comes to Sam Fender, the word icon and legend have already been used, thanks to the amazing nights he's already given us at Tynemouth Priory, the arena and city hall but what St James' Park witnessed on Friday night was pure magic. This was a North East superstar doing what he does best with the most captive of audiences.
With so much hype and anticipation surrounding the shows, you could have easily forgiven Sam for being plagued with nerves, but from start to finish he looked like a man enjoying every single second and boy, did he deserve it. Anyone who's been to a Sam Fender gig before knows that the curtain raiser is always Local Hero but even that went up a Geordie notch on Friday as that was teased by a very apt, given what else was happening in town on the same evening, quick burst of the Blaydon Races.
Black and white flags were being waved with vigour way before Sam arrived on stage at SJP, with a blast of Hey Jude ensuring the stadium became a shrine to the Magpies, not only Sam. And Sam and his band must have been totally blown away by the rapturous reception that greeted them when they made their entrance.
