If Sam Smith is singing it, then it’s probably an anthem, and on Friday night in Tampa the 26-year-old London songwriter got some help on vocals from more than 11,000 fans at Amalie Arena (although he never really needed it). It started with a little clapping on the set’s second tune, “One Last Song,” and erupted into a full-blown choral sing-along by time Smith’s a capella intro to, “I’m Not The Only One” ended.
“I fucking love you guys. I’m so happy to be back in Tampa, ” Smith — on the 46th show of a three-month North American tour — told his fans. “After my last tour, when I was listening to my music, realizing that my music is really depressing and I feel really bad if you left feeling like shit. So we've been working hard to make sure you leave happy.”
SAM-PA BAY
Sam Smith looks like he’s living his best life in Tampa
Not one person would be asking for their money back after the 20-song set Smith and his nine-piece band put together. Yes, there was the seated, smouldering sadness of show opener “Burning” and the plantative pain Smith poured out on “Lay Me Down” was water works worthy, but so much of the set — especially “Omen,” “Restart” and “Baby, You Make Me Crazy” — was upbeat enough to get fans out of their seats and shimmying ever so slightly. The classic pop-perfect melody of "One Day At A Time" was simply irresistible and and a textbook example of the perfect song structure that marks so much of his output.
Smith, however, shines brightest when his sterling vocal can drench his disciples in the solemn cries and those haunting melodies that make up the best parts of his still-fledgling catalog. There were theatrics (“How fucking dramatic was that,” Smith asked after a rousing take on his James Bond ballad “Writing’s On The Wall”), and there was the pleading on “Say It First.” There was the innocent love on a stripped-back, cello and piano-driven take on “Latch,” and there was the pure, un-containable power of “HIM.” Smith told Amalie Arena that he wrote highlight of Smith’s 2017 album, The Thrill of It All, as a statement.
“I am a proud gay man,” he exclaimed as the crowd erupted. “If you’re proud tonight, Tampa, then let me hear you.”
HEARD IN ORLANDO
Sam Smith stopped by the Pulse memorial after his Orlando concert
The sentiment isn’t one to be taken lightly. Signs of tolerance towards the LGBTQIA are everywhere (did anyone else catch the sign-waving, born again Christian guy just playing music instead of yelling people outside?), but this country and the world at large is still leaps and bounds from a full on embrace of the idea that gay, transgender and intersex people deserve fair and equal treatment under the rule of law. Hostile parties still commit hate crimes against the gay community.
"Just went to Pulse nightclub in Orlando to visit the beautiful memorial that has been built. So deeply emotional & heartbreaking,” Smith wrote in an Instagram post in the hours before his Tampa show.” However, proof that there is more love in this world than hate.”
Smith — genteel during every second of his interactions with an Amalie crowd that fawned at his every word — is the perfect ambassador for that love. He looked at them adoringly during the pre-chorus of set-closer “Too Good At Goodbyes,” and even the confetti sprinkling down during an encore take of “Stay With Me” fell to the floor with grace, like a gentle rain (or red, paper snow). Smith even managed to balance out the sheer force of show highlight “Pray” by opening it with this matter-of-fact request for the crowd.
“Please get home safely everyone,” he said with the utmost sincerity. “Have a beautiful weekend. We want to see you when we come back.”
Duly noted, Sam. Whatever you say is our anthem, after all.
Listen to a playlist featuring songs Sam Smith played at Amalie Arena below.
Setlist
Burning
One Last Song
I’m Not The Only One
Lay Me Down > His Eye Is On The Sparrow (Ethel Waters)
Omen
Nirvana
Writing's on the Wall
Latch
Like I Can
Restart
Baby, You Make Me Crazy
Say It First
One Day At A Time
Midnight Train
HIM
Too Good At Goodbyes
—
Palace
Stay With Me
Pray
