10:30am. That’s when the first fans began queuing for tonight’s Dork’s Night Out at Colours Hoxton, and the reason can be summed up in two words: James Marriott.
With a devoted fanbase ready for his every move, tonight feels special. Over a few years, James has established himself not just as a personality from another medium, but as an artist truly finding his voice with a catalogue made to be sung back at full volume. With new album ‘Don’t Tell The Dog’, he’s created the unifying statement he was born to make. This night falls amid a chart battle that could see him become the UK’s Number 1 album artist this week. Yet the anticipation stems from something greater. With a sold-out world tour ahead, tonight is a pinch-yourself evening watching a superstar blossoming. Not bad for a Tuesday in East London. You’re welcome.
The room is packed when Siobhan Winifred takes to the stage. Her warm, campfire-like set strips back her catalogue of indie-pop joy as a three-piece, highlighting both her songwriting talent and future potential. Taking the chance to play unreleased music (sung back after just one introduction), it’s a perfect set that paves the way for the night ahead. ‘Keep Sweet’ and a soaring ‘Killers’ find new life in this setting, as the crowd gets swept up in the moment. New tracks have fans swaying with phones aloft, proving why Siobhan is one of the most exciting new songwriters today. “You’re going to make me cry!” she announces repeatedly. Us too, Siobhan, us too.
With Colours Hoxton at perhaps its most packed ever, James Marriott’s arrival triggers deafening screams. His only live show during album release week becomes an unbridled celebration of indie anthems that confirms his place at the forefront of the scene. ‘Ventriloquist’ delivers a stadium-sized welcome before ‘I Don’t Want To Live Like This’ ignites the already sweltering room. Rather than focusing solely on the new album, he crafts something more meaningful – a set celebrating his journey, reflecting on playing this venue years ago and acknowledging his evolution since then. The result is pure joy from front to back, a night worthy of bottling. ‘Going Postal At The Party’ and ‘So Long’ spark moshpits and pogoing crowds, channelling that irresistible, sweaty indie charm that defined a generation. James Marriott captures that blistering energy and holds on tight.
In one of London’s hottest rooms, James dials up the heat. ‘The Other Side’ and ‘Denial’ are unstoppable, but when he drops new album track ‘Toothache’, that wider panoramic ambition comes to the fore. It’s the purpose James has been signalling for so long, and tonight at Colours it feels like an overflowing show that proves how big things are getting. From the emotional ‘Don’t Blame Me’ to the sheer chaos that erupts from ‘Sleeping On Trains’, every step feels perfect for an artist who has indie brilliance in his grasp. As a tiramisu arrives on stage – a nod to fans who’ve been there since the start – James launches himself into the crowd for a riotous ‘Grapes’, and the night is sealed. Tonight at Colours Hoxton is one of those moments everyone present will remember for a lifetime, and for James Marriott signals how far he’s come. Next stop? A world tour in massive venues. This night though? Never to be repeated.
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