A beautiful dream is not only the opening song of Luke Hemmings' concert at Fabrique in Milan but also the atmosphere for the entirety show. The lights are dim (almost too much at times), the musicians and the singer himself are dressed in dark colors, while the audience showcases a variety of shades of blue, the main color of Luke's latest project, Boy.
Luke was born and raised in Sydney, where he met Michael Clifford, Calum Hood, and Ashton Irwin as a teenager, together they formed 5 Seconds of Summer in 2011. In spring of 2020, during lockdown, Luke recorded and released his first solo album, When Facing the Things We Turn Away From; however, the project was put on hold to continue with the band. After the group announced a break at the end of The 5 Seconds of Summer Show Tour, Luke returned to his solo music and released his first EP, Boy, on April 26 2024, starting his first tour on May 4 in Paris.
For the second night of the Nostalgia for a Time That Never Existed tour, the singer arrived in Milan, a city he holds dear and has been performing in since he was 16. The setlist quickly progresses with some of his most upbeat songs just to change mood completely by presenting one after the other his most heart-wrenching tracks.
The atmosphere he creates is priceless, perfectly hitting every note, making the live versions even more emotional than the studio recordings. Unfortunately, this beautiful moment was interrupted when some people in the crowd felt unwell due to the heat since water bottles were not allowed in the venue (not even without a cap).
Luke tried to continue with Bloodline but had to cut it short to allow staff to help other fans who weren't feeling well. The whole thing was obviously beyond his control and after this cut he seemed quite irritated by how the situation was being handled.
After the final part of the setlist, which mainly featured songs from Boy, we reach the final song, Starting Line, during which white confetti is blasted, matching the lights of the performance.
It was not an easy concert, not only due to the fans feeling unwell but also for Luke being alone on stage after being used to always perform with three other people, in fact, compered to concerts with the band, his shyer side came out but he promptly tried to disguise it.
So many tears were shed, as most of his lyrics touch on themes like anxiety and depression, relatable to his audience. Luke himself noted how when he asks the crowd if they will sing, dance and cry, the option of crying always receives the loudest cheers.
Anyone who knows other songs beside She looks so perfect and Amnesia is well aware of Luke's vocal prowess, especially his falsetto which shined during the show, making even the most difficult notes seem easy. The standout performances were Place in me, Mum, and Starting Line, creating an intimate, almost one-to-one, atmosphere with the first two songs and energizing the crowd with the last one, so much that it was impossible not to jump all together.
The only downside was the absence of Repeat, Close enough to feel you and Promises from the setlist, the only three tracks missing from his entire discography. They could have easily been added and slightly prolong the show, also by leaving out the cover of The Cure's Friday I'm In Love, the least successful song of the night.
Although a couple of days have passed since Luke Hemmings' Italian tour stop, the post-concert nostalgia still lingers, but, in this case, a nostalgia for a time that really existed.
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You can listen to Luke Hemmings' discography hereunder: