Live additions of newly released songs are often a treat. For Sam Fender, it means giving the lead single and title track of his third album, People Watching, that added gusto. A litmus test for whether you want to hear his works live. Well worth it, and People Watching (Live at the O2 London) goes a long way in proving the live show value. A live version lives or dies on crowd interaction. It is what makes those traipses through Bob Dylan live albums so special, what cements the Common People: Live at Glastonbury release as a must-listen experience. The same occurs for People Watching (Live at the O2 Arena), a song which not only gives listeners a sample of the live experience but showcases the live arrangement changes. Backing vocals, a new sense of instrumental style but with a familiar guitar tinge, that is what People Watching (Live at the O2 Arena) looks to highlight.
What a great job it does, too. There is a recognition of nostalgia as a reason to return home embedded in People Watching (Live at the O2 Arena). That same saxophone reliance is present, how could it not be? But it is a defining part of the sound Fender looks to create, and for all its typecast use, it fits People Watching well. It is reserved for these high-octane moments, those punchier stage pieces which are not the purpose of this third album. Fender has stripped back the rocking ways and exposed a tender heart. There is still plenty to love for those who wish for more of the Seventeen Going Under variety, and with that comes the stadium rock filler. People Watching is a truly heartfelt occasion, a wonderful song which rises to the challenge of nostalgia as a theme and direction, and it is on this live release that we hear the best and worst of Fender as a live artist.
His commitment to laid-back performances with a tie to the seriousness of his well-written material, is the constant here. It may feel a tad predictable for those who have been around for a little longer, to those who burnt through Seventeen Going Under for the last three summers. A phenomenal album, and the live version relies totally on the instrumentation. Fender drops into the back, behind a glitzy wall of instrumental excess, which does serve the live version well. Instrumentals in service of the song. It is taken for granted but the chanting crowd paired with those opening lyrics and the warm reception makes the song all the better. Where Fender is heard isolated from the guitar and percussion which comes in soon after, that is the real beauty.
People Watching (Live at the O2 Arena) underscores the talent Fender has not just as a songwriter but as a frontman. He tests the waters before diving in, and even then, would likely do it anyway, boiling or frigid. A song that grows, a tone which continues to improve. Fender nails the vocal tone, the instrumentals around him are a sweet, roaring experience which does not overwhelm his stripped-back style or the fundamental meaning of the song. Fall in love with People Watching all over again, with Fender once more, with this live version. It rekindles the energy of seeing him on stage, the thrill of hearing his contemporary comments on a world gone wrong. Slick style the whole way through, a growing confidence but a still present humility is what makes People Watching (Live at the O2 Arena) worth a listen.
