A Monday evening isn’t what you would expect to be the perfect setting for a rowdy rave, but the fans showed up ready to go in their bucket hats, and the gig did not disappoint. Support act Beyond Chicago had the crowd bouncing energetically just before Example took the stage, and the venue was buzzing after the DJ duo warmed up the venue with a blend of popular dance tracks and remixes. You would have thought it was a Saturday night in Riverside the way those mixes had the crowd vigorously bopping along.
You Would have thought it was a Saturday night in Riverside the way those mixes had the crowd vigorously bopping along."
Once he excitedly made his way on stage, Example admitted that he was feeling particularly nostalgic about performing at the Academy for the last time, claiming that his would be the last gig at the venue before it is closed for refurbishment. The popular and iconic venue is closing at the end of the month and will be re-opening in October 2022 under different ownership and a new name. Admittedly, I think this night was a bittersweet way to round up the live performances of the last 14 years before the venue undergoes another re-branding.
The set itself was a delightful mix of bangers and dance tunes, combining fresh new music and the classics; not afraid to shy away from playing his older music in this set, Example satisfied his fans with all his usual crowd-pleasers, including ‘Kickstarts’, ‘Say Nothing’ and ‘We’ll be Coming Back’, which was a personal highlight for me. I guess Example wasn’t the only one feeling nostalgic about the last decade that evening.
Several times during the set, Example was encouraging the crowd to get even more riled up, telling them to make plenty space for a mosh pit. As he started his new single ‘Never Let You Down’, he tells us that his wife co-wrote the song, and that the chorus is a favourite that always gets the mob going crazy (time for another mosh?).
After a brief but predictable stage exit and re-entrance for the encore, the night finished after a few more tunes with: ‘Changed the Way You Kissed Me’, which only left the crowd wanting more. That may have been his last performance at the O2 Academy Newcastle, but let’s hope that it won’t be his last performance in the North East; sometimes a bit of fun and little nostalgia is all we need to have a lively and entertaining evening.
