Lewis Capaldi in Dublin review: Singer is left speechless after standing ovation in the 3Arena

Lewis Capaldi

3Arena, Dublin

★★★★☆

After four songs at the 3Arena, the stage lights brighten and, speaking to the crowd for the first time, Lewis Capaldi says “Dublin, it’s been far, far too long”.

This is the terminus for the singer-songwriter’s first tour in two years, after a sudden hiatus brought on by mental health struggles and a public diagnosis of Tourette syndrome (TS). No one needs to be told the emotional weight of these shows for Capaldi, and for the most part, he seems keen to separate tonight’s performance from the inescapable context.

All the anxiety, though, is encapsulated in his voice. Though he can go elastic and sweet, the explosive Scottish roar is Capaldi’s hallmark, courting a tension that should feel precarious but only ever seems emphatic. There is no shortage of raspy male singers in popular music, but this sort of power and control is distinct.

Some of the songs do Capaldi’s talking for him. Comeback single Survive is the opener, exploring the hardship he has faced over the past two years, though, in true Capaldi style, skirting around granular detail in favour of universal applicability. He may argue that this is simply the world of pop, but it’s hard not to think he is capable of something more tangible.

Many of the songs throughout the night incorporate vague Christian iconography. Both of Capaldi’s albums use this vehicle to talk about heartbreak. One track, Heavenly Kind of State of Mind, loosely mentions raptures, original sin and telling the devil to go f**k himself.

This is likely no grand admission of religious faith, but a symptom of devout commitment to relatable language and imagery. Capaldi’s cliches are bulletproof, cultivating nostalgia and emotion without examining anything truly personal. Still, the voice and melodies might be enough by way of expression.

He tees the set up as a night of many ballads and makes good on the promise. To keep things varied, there are slow and pared back stretches where piano chords are all that separate us from a cappella. At other times, aided by cinematic drums and string instruments, it takes on the drama of a rock opera.

Capaldi does an excellent job of stitching everything together and maintaining his connection with the audience through the repeated tugging on heartstrings. Glowing wristbands and confetti keep spirits high, and regular crowd interaction takes the edge off.

He decides to avoid the ritual of the encore, staying onstage after Before You Go in lieu of feigning an early departure. The audience responds with a multi-tier standing ovation. There are still three songs left to play and Capaldi is speechless as the applause envelops him. It is the sort of highly charged moment that, not long ago, might have been too difficult to get through.

Before the hiatus, Capaldi’s last performance was at Glastonbury in June of 2023. It was a powerful moment. In the throes of his issues, and unable to get the words out for closing song Somebody You Loved, he was helped along by 100,000 attendees in full voice. Here, he is well able to join the chorus. For all the pressure of this tour, Capaldi’s performance suggests it came at the perfect time.