LIVE REVIEW: Ellie Goulding + John Newman + LANY, Sheffield Arena

For a girl planning to take a break from music for a bit, there's no sign of Ellie Goulding planning to slip away quietly.
Ellie Goulding Delirium Tour Live in SheffieldEllie Goulding Delirium Tour Live in Sheffield
Ellie Goulding Delirium Tour Live in Sheffield

On the Sheffield leg of her Delirium world tour, the Hereford lass with the distinctive and utterly brilliant voice, went full pelt to deliver an all-singing, all-dancing show far removed from her folky pop past and worthy of a sell-out Arena date after announcing last week she was planning to take a bit of a breather. But more of that later.
The warm-up bill boasted two very distinct and quality acts - each helping to raise the temperature stakes ahead of the appearance of Goulding.
First up were Californian trio LANY (pronounced Lay-nee), all melodic teen pop, wrapped in 80s synths and brought together by the warm vocals of the Harry Styles-esque lead singer.
However, the tempo was really cranked up when Yorkshire singer-songwriter and soul boy John Newman set foot on home soil for a blistering set.
Picking out high-tempo, Northern Soul tinged tracks from his two albums Tribute and Revolve, the Settle-born soulster spun, strutted and sweated across the stage with endless energy, whipping up a hugely appreciative crowd with hits such as Come And Get It, Cheating and Love Me Again.

Newman even dipped into his early work with Rudimental, airing Not Giving In towards the finale of a set which crackled with verve and energy and some stunning dance moves.

John Newman Live in ConcertJohn Newman Live in Concert
John Newman Live in Concert
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And then it was time for Ellie herself to make in her apperanace.

Rising onto the stage dressed in a black turtle neck, leather hotpants and Doc Martens, she opted for a high-octane opening, all lights and heavy dance beats with Aftertaste and Outside.

Forget the folky and whispery pop of earlier days, Ellie has added a big dollop of sass and sexy sounds to her repertoire and this set sparkled with such gems.

But, there was still time and space for her to dip back into those beautiful, gentle songs of yore too - her delicate voice beautifully delivering How Long Will You Love Me and her tender cover of Elton John’s Your Song.

John Newman Live in ConcertJohn Newman Live in Concert
John Newman Live in Concert
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Floorfillers including Burn, Army and finale Love Me Like You Do helped warm up Sheffield on a chilly Saturday night.

Let’s hope that if Ellie is taking a break from music, its not a long one - because with performances like this, she’s proving why there’s no-one else quite like her around at the moment.