TRNSMT day three: Super-sub Lewis Capaldi steals the show as he marks festival hat-trick
He was drafted in as a late replacement for Snow Patrol, but Lewis Capaldi made TRNSMT’s final day his own with a set packed with singalongs and the man-of-the-moment’s trademark humour.
The Whitburn star wasn’t Sunday night’s headliner – that honour went to George Ezra- but it was Capaldi’s performance that was probably the most eagerly anticipated.
He arrived on stage to pounding sounds of GBX dance classic Bits N’Pieces, telling the crowd that if they liked a “chubby guy singing sad songs” they were in for a treat.
He addressed the ongoing feud with Noel Gallagher by donning a Chewbacca mask – the Oasis star had compared him to the Star Wars character earlier in the week – and performing a cover of Don’t Look Back In Anger.
He also tried to replicate Freddie Mercury’s iconic Live Aid call and response act with the TRNSMT crowd – although instead performing vocal gymnastics with some non-PG Scottish terminology. “Diddies” is probably the only printable word.
He punctuated his set with the banter that’s been a huge part of his rise to fame, and also a few swigs of Buckfast.
Ending with a huge, powerful singalong of chart behemoth Someone You Loved, Capaldi put himself firmly in the running to take top billing next year.
Capaldi wasn’t the only one making it a TRNSMT hat-trick – Tom Grennan also made it three festival appearances in three years with his set early in the afternoon.
The English star told the crowd: “This festival is one of my favourites! I’ve been coming for three years now! The fun is always strong when I’m here.”
Mid-afternoon was something of a trip back in time with noughties indie favourites The Wombats and The Kooks delighting the crowd with some throwback hits in the sun.
She was only added to the bill just over a week ago, but Emeli Sande put on a great performance on the main stage in place of Jess Glynne.
“It’s so good to be home…I’ve felt your love every time I come here and I appreciate it,” she told the crowd, dedicating a song to Glasgow.
After Lewis Capaldi, headliner George Ezra had a tough act to follow but had the crowd in full singalong-mode with hits including Budapest, Blame It On Me and Paradise.
And he sent the revellers home happy with a barnstorming rendition of Shotgun, followed by one final fireworks display.
Elsewhere on site, the likes of Irish band whenyoung and Edinburgh’s Retro Video Club were hits on the King Tut’s Stage.
They’re among a number of acts hoping to graduate to the main stage next year, following in the footsteps of the likes of The Snuts and Gerry Cinnamon.
Catherine McGrath brought a touch of Nashville (via Northern Ireland) to the stage, while SWMRS gave it a more punk edge.
Festival veterans Mystery Jets also played a fantastic set, with the stage closed for the year by Circa Waves.
The Liverpool band labelled Glasgow their “second home”.
Over on the Queen Tut’s Stage, some of the best new female talent took the stage including The Eves, Zoee, Tamzene, Stephanie Cheape, Deni Smith, and Baby Taylah.
The stage was designed to help address the festival’s “gender play gap”, with only three female acts on the main stage across the whole weekend.
The main feedback from the first year of the stage was that it was something of a step forward – but for 2020 the real progress would be to have more diversity across the whole festival.
Moment of the Day
The singalong to Lewis Capaldi’s chart-topper Someone You Loved was truly special.
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