Dance-pop golden boy Example first exploded onto the scene back in two thousand and nine with Watch The Sun Come Up (which hit the lofty heights of number twenty in the charts), and it’s fair to say that he’s done pretty well for himself since then. Over the past five years, Example has built up a reputation as one of the best live acts around right now, and it’s easy to see why. His live shows are a mile-a-minute blast of Example’s trademark danceable rave-pop, complete with a fantastic light show and an uber-talented backing band.
Opening act Benjamin Please does a fine job of warming up the crowd with a finely-tuned set of pop melodies and big keyboards. As we watch the crowd trickle in throughout Please’s set, we can’t help but notice the sheer range of the ages of the sold-out crowd at Plymouth’s Pavilions tonight – there are about as many middle-aged men and women here as there are teenagers. Yes, this could be down to guys and girls wishing to relive their youth and be ‘down with the kids’, but we think that it’s more likely to be a testament to the truly universal appeal of Example’s music.
Kicking off with Stay Awake, Example (real name Elliott Greave) storms through an hour-and-a-half long set of bona-fide crowd pleasers, with a few fan favourites thrown in for good measure. Changed The Way You Kiss Me is a highlight of the night, though the start of breakthrough hit Won’t Go Quietly is met with a roar as deafening as any we’ve ever heard.
The tone and authenticity of Example’s voice allows him to truly power through the night’s setlist, which somehow seems to sound even better in a live environment – the multi-talented producer/singer/songwriter’s rapid delivery adds an air of urgency to even the most laid-back of tracks, and his repeated cries of ‘I want to see a mosh pit!’ ensure that the crowd’s energy levels are never allowed to dip.
The crowd’s clear appreciation for Example and his band shows that you don’t always need a massive production and million-pound stage set to put on a great show. Example’s got the tunes, the charisma and the voice – we can’t wait to see him again.