The evening began with a couple of Super Bocks and a fantastic opening set by Dublin-based artist and producer Chameleon. His fusion of indie and melodic hip-hop created vibrant and breezy vibes as the room slowly filled in anticipation of the main event.

After a brief half-hour break, SOFY and her accompanying band took the stage, receiving rapturous applause from her dedicated rat army.

She delivered a stacked setlist, encompassing every track from ‘Chaos & Commotion,’ the majority of tunes from both ‘Bored In Colour’ EPs, and a beautiful rendition of Paramore’s ‘The Only Exception.’ Her vocals ranged from powerful to tender with effortless grace. The band skilfully recreated the crisp studio sound, maintaining that quality on stage while incorporating exciting new instrumental breaks that pleasantly took me by surprise.

The performance kicked off with ‘Yoyo,’ instantly sparking excitement and engagement from the crowd, who were in top form with their participation and encouragement. Throughout the show, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this performance deserved a larger stage. This isn’t to diminish The Grace; cosy shows often surpass arena performances. However, I couldn’t help but envision this set easily filling out the nearby venue, The Garage. It underscored SOFY’s confidence as a performer, suggesting that a jump in capacity wouldn’t faze her and, if anything, would enhance the show’s atmosphere.

A pleasant fluctuation in tone helped balance out the intensity of the show, with more solemn and focused songs like ‘Fiesta’ and ‘No Drama’ strategically placed between the rowdier tunes such as ‘Timothée Chalamet’ and ‘Ashley Cole Type Beat.’ This thoughtful arrangement prevented the sense of time from moving too swiftly, leaving me thoroughly satisfied by the end.

The encore, featuring the previously mentioned ‘The Only Exception’ by Paramore, ‘Socks,’ and ‘Supermarket,’ sent the crowd away in high spirits, concluding an exceptionally grand time at The Grace. Sofy generously joined the crowd after the show, expressing sincere gratitude to attendees, taking photos, signing records, and engaging in chats with fans, myself included.

The remaining tour dates include two more nights at The Grace, followed by shows at Leicester’s Y Theatre and concluding at Manchester’s Yes Basement. If you have the chance to attend any of these upcoming dates, I highly encourage you to do so.